#there were options. but they picked the most boring one. and also we already did father's legacy shit with one crusher kid

[joshuaalbert]

i regret to inform you i am once again thinking about bev's weird changeling kid jack who stays in the medical field both bc his mom's legacy is worth something and because he has a genuine interest in solid physiology rather than being a professional nepotism baby. i do not give a fuck about canon jack ii but the version that lives in my head and uses the newfound stability at the end of the series to go to medical school and both his mother and his adopted father are very proud of him and there's a joke about "doctor crusher" and they both turn around....he compels me a little.

[themultifanshipper]

Poker? I hardly know her!

You and Oscar stared at Lando, who was peeling his shirt off before anyone had even put any chips on the table.

Maybe Lando didn't understand the rules of poker after all...

Warnings: Not quite proofread I just needed to get it out of my drafts before people started bringing pitchforks to my house, some of this is insane, i'm warning you, brief poker jargon, fucking on a jet, oral sex, male and female recieving AND giving, canonically bisexual landoscar, a bit of a humiliation kink, strip poker turns dirty very quickly, bad dirty talk, cum, Lando is a TEASE and a WHORE, finger sucking (inspired by something someone actually did to me once)

“Lando why are you taking your shirt off?” Oscar frowned in confusion.

“This is strip poker. You bet your clothes, don't you?” he answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

You'd known Lando a long time, and he was a bit of a dim bulb (affectionate) sometimes.

Oscar you'd only met when he became Lando's teammate, but you got along like a house on fire, and despite you not knowing each other very well, one of your favourite bonding activities was making fun of Lando.

“Lando!” you laughed “that's not how it works. You bet your clothes but you only take them off if you lose”

He looked offended at the implication that he didn't already know that and tried to defend himself, but he had a slight tint of red quickly spreading over his cheeks.

“I knew that! I just think it's better to put my bets on the table is all...”

You and Oscar dissolved into a fit of giggles. “Okay whatever you say, it's not like you'd be keeping it on long anyway” you teased and winked at Oscar.

“Oh fuck off!” he gave you the middle finger before picking up his cards that Oscar had been dealing. “and since when do you play poker? You’ve never mentioned it to me...”

Oscar shrugged, picking up his own cards.

“You know what boarding school is like. There's nothing to do except play poker, and ... uhh...” he trailed off and you looked at him questioningly.

“Well, you know. It's boring” he said quickly, his cheeks going slightly pink as he avoided your gaze.

Lando narrowed his eyes at him. “Yeah, I do know what boarding school is like. But we never played poker”

“Okay what did you play then mister wise guy?” Oscar's tone was off, like he was trying to accuse Lando of something.

Lando's face went blank, and you could tell he was going through the options one by one, not wanting to say any of them out loud.

“I can't remember?” he tried.

Oscar scoffed in disbelief and you decided to intervene.

“Right, are we playing then?”

“Gladly” they both muttered in sync.

You weren't naive. You knew exactly what boys got up to in boarding schools.

You'd been to an all girls boarding school yourself, and had your fair share of... experiences.

But both of them seemed to be a bit embarrassed about theirs as they settled in their seats like big birds that had just gotten their feathers ruffled.

The game went just about as well as expected.

Lando ended up in his boxers after only 3 rounds, while you and Oscar hadn't taken a single item of clothing off.

His nipples pebbled in the cool conditioned air, and you could see goosebumps erupting all over his skin.

Your eyes scanned his thighs briefly and you gulped. They were thick, and he was in tight black boxers that really didn’t leave much to the imagination.

As enticing as the sight was, it didn't help your concentration.

Oscar was once again dealing cards, and you noticed him side-eyeing Lando a couple of times.

“Are you sure you're not cold, mate?”

Lando shivered but didn't relent in his stubbornness.

“No I'm fine. Besides, I am determined to beat at least one of you”

“You'll be fully naked long before that happens” Oscar chuckled but it sounded hollow.

You also forced out a laugh. Lando naked was the last thing you needed right now.

But with an ace and a jack in your hand, how could you possibly lose?

And you were right. Lando could go all in if he wanted to (and he did) but on the table were a king, a queen, and a ten. And he was a terrible bluffer, he was way too cocky.

Oscar had already folded so it was up to you to get Lando's pants off.

You put your cards down face up.

“Sorry mate, I've got a straight” you said in mock- sympathy. “Someone's getting naked and it ain't me”.

You smirked at him.

“Not so fast” Lando tutted at you and showed his cards.

He also had an ace and a jack.

But they were the same colour as the cards on the fucking table. All spades.

He had a royal fucking flush. The highest hand possible.

Oscar gasped softly.

“Well well well, looks like someone else is taking their shirt off!”

You felt your face heat up immediately.

You only had a T-shirt on.

As in, you only had a T-shirt on.

“Ummm...” you flushed and picked at the edge of the table. “about that...”

You looked at Oscar but quickly averted your gaze when your eyes met.

“What's the matter?” he asked curiously.

“let’s just say that if I take my shirt off, Lando won't be the only one with his tits out”

Comprehension dawned on their faces and they both went fully red.

It all became suddenly very real. It was all fun and games until one of had to actually do it.

“Uh- well you don't have to, you can uhh” Oscar stuttered his way through an excuse “you can take your pants off or- or something. Or like just not do it. It's just a game. No pressure to actually get naked”

You looked at Lando and he smirked.

“If you're not uncomfortable with it you can do it if you want. We're all adults here, we've all seen boobs before, no biggie”

You hesitated. “Oscar?”

“Yeah, yeah whatever you're comfortable with!” his voice was weirdly high pitched but he nodded reassuringly.

You worked up the courage and grabbed the bottom of you shirt, slowly lifting it up over your head.

When your vision became unobstructed again, Oscar was staring at a spot on the ceiling, and the Lando's smirk had been wiped clean off his face.

Despite being your best friend for a long time, he'd never seen you topless, even though (and he would never admit this out loud) he'd fantasized about it many times.

You could tell he was struggling to maintain eye contact with you, his eyes glazing over slightly.

You chuckled nervously.

“It's okay you can look. Like you said they're just tits, right?”

Oscar glanced at them quickly, then did a double take and his adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed thickly and looked away again.

Lando’s mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but his words died in his throat as he also just stared unblinkingly.

It was objectively quite funny how you'd rendered them both utterly speechless.

After a good thirty seconds though, it started getting a bit too weird.

“Okay this is getting creepy now, do you want me to put my shirt back on?”

“No!” they answered wayyy too quickly. “Its fine we're just a bit surprised is all”

You rolled your eyes. “Okay horndogs, shall we get back to it, then?”

They nodded almost absentmindedly, and Lando dealt the cards.

“I'm now determined to get Lando naked to take some of the attention off of me, now” you joked lightly and the other two laughed.

The atmosphere became a bit less charged over the course of the next round, but Oscar was seemingly very much off his game suddenly, because he lost two in a row.

In the name of fairness, he took his pants off, and his black hoodie, so he was still left in a T-shirt that thankfully hid the raging boner he was currently trying to make go down with sheer force of will.

He had an almost naked Lando inches away on his right, and a magnificent pair of breasts in front of him.

How was he supposed to concentrate in these conditions? He was living a bisexual's wet dream.

But he was determined to win, so he dealt the cards.

Lando was getting a bit antsy. He was already pretty turned on by the sight of you, but now, he couldn't stop staring at Oscar's thighs.

They were so thick. He wanted to touch them. Maybe give them a lick and a bite.

His fingers twitched on his lap, where he was trying his best to hide the ever growing problem in his underwear, that was unfortunately not covered by a T-shirt.

But he wanted to touch Oscar's thighs. He wanted to feel the thick muscles under his large hands.

“You doing okay there, guys?” you asked.

The two men in front of you were unconsciously squirming in their seats, doing their best (and failing) to not check each other out.

“Yeah, i'll start at 200” Oscar said, taking a single chip from his enormous pile.

It wasn't his turn, but it didn't matter, none of you were truly focusing on the game right now.

“I'll go all in” Lando said, voice cracking.

Oscar sucked in a breath.

“You sure you want to do that? You've only got one chip left”

“Absolutely” the older man said defiantly, his eyes dark as he stared at you.

A shiver ran down your spine. He was going to lose, you could feel it. He was going to lose and he was going to get naked.

“I'll fold” you muttered.

It was all between Oscar and Lando, now.

“I guess it's all in then”

The atmosphere was tense once again as Lando showed his cards first.

Full house. There was no way Oscar hadn't been bluffing.

“I think you're gonna need to take your shirt off mate” he tried to sound cocky but it wasn't very convincing.

A slow smirk took over Oscar's features, and he grinned evilly at Lando.

He slapped his cards down, face up, and the colour drained from Lando's face.

“Four of a kind. Mate”

You glanced down at Lando's boxers.

There was a small wet patch forming at the front.

Looks like being humiliated was getting him going.

You decided to try and save his dignity, but you knew Oscar had also noticed, if the way he was currently looking at Lando like he wanted to eat him, was any indication.

“You don't have to Lando, if you don't want to”

But his mind seemed made up and he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxers.

“No it's fine, a bet is bet” he was very red in the face, but true to his word he pulled his underwear off and let it drop to the floor under the table.

You didn't look. You swear you didn't look.

“You can look guys” Lando said, you could hear the cockiness dripping from his words. He knew what he looked like naked.

“Nope, I'm good” you replied. “Oscar?”

“Yeah, nah I'm good. Shall we keep going?” he asked you with a forced smile.

“Yep, deal the cards, then”

Oscar picked up the cards and Lando whined.

“Wait, I wanna keep playing too” he sounded so pathetic. It made your thighs clench together.

And Oscar noticed.

“Lando you don't have anything left to wager. What are you going to bet? Your skin?” he mocked, but Lando didn't miss a beat.

“I’ve got a mouth. And I don't have a gag reflex”

Your jaw dropped and Oscar choked on his spit.

“Jesus, Lando” you breathed.

But the silence that followed was deafening as everyone seemed to be thinking about it.

You looked at Oscar, who looked at Lando, who looked back at you defiantly.

Well, it seemed this game was taking a turn. But you weren't complaining, and neither was Oscar.

“okay” you and Oscar said at the same time.

He dealt the cards, and you had a particularly shit hand so you folded, almost dissapointed that you wouldn't be winning Lando's mouth.

Lando refused to fold, despite having a shit hand as well, so he lost, naturally.

“So uhh... you want to uhm-“ Oscar gestured vaguely in front of him.

You took pity on Oscar. “You going to put your mouth to good use?” you translated for him, and Lando nodded.

“Yup” he chirped, and promptly dropped under the table. He was so eager, you were starting to think he'd planned this all along, and was losing on purpose.

But no, he wasn't that manipulative.

You could barely see what was going on but Lando dragged Oscar's underwear down and groaned.

Then it was Oscar's turn to let out a pathetic little noise as Lando's head sank downwards.

“Lando, fuck-“ he squeezed his eyes shut, the sudden heat of Lando's mouth overwhelming him. “Your mouth, Jesus Christ”

The sight was quite erotic, Oscar fingers threading through Lando's hair as the obscene sounds sounds of his mouth working Oscar's cock filled the cabin.

Oscar looked down at him with a furrowed brow and his mouth open in shock, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

You certainly couldn't. Oscar had always seemed quite reserved to you, yet here he was, getting deepthroated by your friend, in front of you.

“God, yeah. Take it. Good boy” he lifted his hips to meet Lando's mouth and Lando moaned wantonly around him.

One of Lando's feet knocked into yours under the table, making you look down.

You gasped in shock. Not at how fucking round and peachy his ass looked, although that was worth noting, no, what turned your world on its axis was the fact that Lando was wearing socks.

The absolute whore.

Turns out he was that manipulative.

“Oscar!” You called, and he looked back up at you with lidded eyes.

“Yeah?”

“Lando's still wearing his fucking socks!”

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he looked down to where Lando's face was red and covered in drool and tears already.

“Lando...” he let out a shuddery moan “If you wanted us to treat you like a little slut, all you had to do was ask.” He cooed, stroking Lando's tears away.

The older man suddenly did something with his tongue that made Oscar throw his head back and tighten his hold in Lando's hair.

“Christ Lando, where did you lean to do that?” he panted, and Lando pulled off of him for a second to reply.

“Boarding school” he rasped, voice hoarse.

You and Oscar chuckled breathlessly. Of course, stupid question, really.

It didn't take Oscar very long to reach his end with how Lando was swallowing around him, throat tightening rythmically.

You were very wet. Rubbing your thighs together wasn't quite enough so you pulled down your own pants and underwear and slid a hand down your body.

The first touch sent a jolt of electricity through you. You spread your thighs, which caught Oscar's attention, and he gasped and unexpectedly came with a shout down Lando's throat.

Lando, the whore, swallowed every last drop.

His hair was a mess and he turned around, wondering what Oscar was staring so intently at.

The sight of your legs propped up on the table and your fingers pumping in and out of you as your cunt drooled onto the seat made his mouth go very dry.

He crawled over to you under the table and pulled your hand away.

His hungry gaze made your thighs clench, but his large hands came to hold them open as the flat of his tongue licked a long stripe up your soaked folds.

Your hands grabbed a hold of his hair, like Oscar had, and he closed his eyes in bliss.

“Pull it” Oscar said and you glanced at him before doing as he said.

You tugged sharply and the reaction was immediate.

The moan that came from Lando's mouth was downright pornographic, and you grinned, pushing his head down to where you were dripping onto the seat.

He wasted no time lapping up every drop and soon he slid a finger inside you, and then a second one, crooking them upwards and making you see stars.

Turns out Lando wasn't just good with his mouth, his hands were also a goddamn gift to humanity.

By the time you'd stopped shaking with the aftershocks of your orgasm, Oscar was hard again and languidly stroking himself at the sight of you.

Lando stood up, his back cracking after being hunched over for so long.

You properly took him in for the first time. His cock was big, bigger than you'd expected, and his thighs were covered in what you assumed was precum.

You instinctively wrapped a hand around him and swiped your thumb over his tip.

He hissed and batted your hand away.

“I want to see you two fuck” he said, as if that wasn't a totally insane thing to say.

You looked at Oscar, who didn't look opposed to the idea, then back up at Lando.

“What about you?”

He grinned at you mischievously.

“I'm going to watch. And then I'm going to come on those lovely tits of yours”

You blinked up at him and he bent down, sliding a hand under your jaw to tilt your head up.

He stopped, his lips almost brushing yours as he spoke.

“It does hurt a bit. But I really, really want to see my teammate fuck my best friend.” He hooked his thumb over your teeth to press on your tongue, opening up your mouth for him.

“And besides...” he continued “I like it when it hurts”

He pulled away, leaving you completely breathless and more soaked than you'd ever been in your life.

He helped you lie down on the table, and Oscar spread your legs, biting his lip at the sight of your slick covered thighs.

He slid himself through your folds, rubbing your clit and you whined pathetically.

He decided not to tease you too much, and slid home in one go, knocking the wind out of you.

You all moaned at the slick sounds coming from where you and Oscar were joined, and he quickly picked up the pace, his hips slapping against yours.

Lando may have been good with his mouth and hands, but my god, Oscar knew what to do with his hips. Your g-spot didn’t stand a chance.

His abs flexed with every expert roll of his hips, one of his hands planting itself next to your head to hold himself up, the other wrapping around one of your thighs to pull you back against his thrusts.

Whatever poker chips were left on the table were digging into your back but you could barely feel them, you were high on the feeling of Oscar splitting you open on his cock.

Lando couldn't help himself, he turned your head to the side and tapped your lips with his pointer finger.

“Open up, darling. I want to see what you look like with a mouth full of cock”

Yes the line was pretty cheesy, but you stuck your tongue out anyway, and he grinned as he slid his tip along it. He shuddered at the stimulation, and gave an experimental shallow thrust into your mouth.

“Such a good girl... like you were made for it weren't you? Getting stuffed full of us” his fingers danced along your collarbones and you shuddered at the touch.

“So responsive as well...” he looked at your breasts, heaving and bouncing with the force of Oscar's thrusts. He pinched a nipple harshly and you cried out, voice muffled by his cock. “Would you believe me if I told I've dreamt about these quite a bit...”

You rolled your eyes and gave him the middle finger, but he just grabbed your hand and stuck said finger in his mouth and sucked on it.

Heat bloomed in your cheeks at the lewd action, and then he put a second finger in his mouth and shoved them all the way back.

You were going to combust on the spot.

When he pulled his mouth off it with an obscene pop, he looked down at you condescendingly, your mouth still firmly wrapped around his leaking cock.

“Why don't you put those fingers to better use, and make yourself come with them”

You did as you were told and pressed them to your clit, rubbing very slow circles.

Oscar was losing his sanity watching the two of you interact. The bickering, and acting as if he wasn't there, was making him hornier than anything and his hips stuttered as he felt the beginnings of an orgasm creeping up on him.

“Oh come on” Lando drawled, picking up the pace of his own hips “You can do better than that”

You rubbed faster, matching the rythm of his thrusts, and very soon you were thrown over the edge of extasy, back arching and toes curling as you clenched around Oscar.

Lando desperately wanted to hear your pretty moans so he pulled out and finished himself off by hand, on your tits, as promised.

Oscar collapsed on top of you, groaning into your neck as his hips stuttered to a halt, and you could already feel his cum seeping out of you onto the table.

You panted into the now stifling air of the cabin, wondering how the hell you got to this point in your friendship.

Oscar lifted himself off you, and glanced at Lando's cum now smeared over the both of you.

He leaned down and licked a stripe up one of your breasts, over a nipple which made you gasp, and then pulled you in for a filthy kiss.

Fuck it was good. Oscar was a really good kisser apparently. The taste of Lando just added to the depravity of the scene.

Lando felt a tad jealous at that moment. He'd lusted over you for years, and he hadn't even kissed you yet.

You and Oscar parted for breath and you saw the look on Lando's face.

“Oh for god's sake, come here!” you made grabby hands at him and he gladly leant down, capturing your lips in a passion filled embrace, his hands going to cup your face as he deepened it.

The cleanup was a nightmare, but you couldn't walk off the plane naked and covered in cum, so you managed.

You did the best you could with bottles of water and some towels, before getting dressed again, just as the pilot announced he was beginning his descent.

“Well what did we learn today, kids?” you said cheerfully once the three of you were on solid ground “Boarding schools teach you very important life lessons, and Lando-“ you slapped his chest playfully “is much better at poker than he lets on!”

The three of you giggled like children, rolling your suitcases on the tarmac of Nice airport, not hearing the pilot mumbling to himself behind you.

“And I learned today that private jet cabins are no where near soundproof....”

Taglist: @teamnovalak

[liyatime]

“ spread your legs ” . . | ˙✧˖°📷 ༘ ⋆｡˚ (enjoy!)

📷 pairing ; mark lee x tm!reader

📷 genre ; smut

📷 cw ; male x transmale/cuntboy intercourse , cursing , kissing , cunnilingus , fingering , c in v sex , vaginal descriptions , raw sex (wrap it before you tap it!)

mark lee , one of the smartest kids on your college campus not only happened to be a top student but he was also your boyfriend of a strong 3 years.

he spoils you so much you dont even know it like buying your lunches for you , paying for your dorm rent , and all around spending a ton of money on you. mark also spoils you by taking you on car rides , he drives you multiple places without asking for gas money and often takes you on trips , like today. he called you out to the parking lot during a fairly busy day saying that he wanted to eat out with you.

you walked out the college building with your tote bag on your shoulder that was filled to the brim with books and your laptop. you were on your phone looking for places nearby to eat at when you looked up and saw mark’s navy blue hooded convertible and him waving at you.

you did a light jog towards his car and leaned onto it giving him a peck on the lips. “i didn’t bother you? calling you out of class like this?” he asked unlocking the car. you walked around to the passenger side and got in , “not at all , i’d tell you if it was a problem. honestly i’m kinda glad i got out of there.” you said smiling. he smiled back and started up the car , “i found a place already, it’s not far from here.” mark said , backing up his car and getting on the road.

on the way to the place mark picked out you guys joked around and laughed , talked about school stuff (which was honestly kind of boring) and listened to music. both your music tastes were diverse but you guys enjoyed critiquing each others choices. you guys also looked at the menu of the place and decided ahead of time what you guys should order , most of the options looked delicious but what matters is how it tasted , mark's the only person who's been here before so he told you to wait and that it'd be a surprise.

the both of you soon arrived at a restaurant-type establishment , with the awkward name of it that you couldn't pronounce it must've been french or italian or something.. but before you could step out of the car mark grabbed your hand and locked the doors , "hold on.. i gotta tell you something," he paused and put his fist over his mouth before trying to explain "— i actually brought you here for something else." he said with nervousness in his voice , "you know we haven't been able to like.. do it because were busy , so i brought you to this uh.. place , because if we did it on the college campus a lot of people would find out and i really wanted to try car sex and i didnt know how to tell you and like—" "mark. it's fine , you could've just told me." you said laughing, "you're such a nervous wreck when it comes to sex like we haven't done it before , but in a car? im excited." you said.

"so this is okay? You're right though , i should've just told you.." mark facepalmed. "I told you its fine mark , if anything you made me really horny , having sex in a parking lot feels exciting." he blushed at your words. "really?" "yeah!" you replied "we should.. get in the backseat then right?" he asked. "yeah.." you two were awkward about this , but mostly mark because he thought you'd think he was weird and gross for wanting to have sex in public and tell everyone on campus , so now that you admitted it made you horny he got excited and was ready to fuck you so bad. mark and you lowered the front seats forward so you'd have more room in the back and then hopped in , immediately jumping to making out.

mark ran his hands all over your body , but he was OBSESSED with your waist , he loved holding it especially when he felt jealous or possessive. you smiled as you kissed him. you both slowly moved into a laying position as he unbuckled your belt and unbuttoned your jeans to gain access to your pussy through your boxers. he threw your jeans on the center console along with your belt and and began rubbing your clit through your boxers , feeling how wet you've gotten in the past minute. you moaned and held onto the door behind you , "fuckkk..." you stretched out the word at the feeling of him toying with you , slightly lifting your hips. he soon removed your boxers and looked at the color of your pussy , admiring how it looked when it was soaked in your juices. he placed his hands at the back of your knees and pressed your legs to your chest then licked a stripe up your cunt and placed a wet kiss onto your clit.

you cried out in pleasure. whenever mark ate you out it was amazing , you're the first partner he's ever had with a vagina but he knew exactly what to do. he must've been studying up for your sake. top student on campus , top student at eating pussy. "is this good?" he said , rubbing his thumb up and down your folds. "yeah.. keep going.." you responded out of breath from moaning. mark reached over to his glove box in the front and pulled out a packet of lube , ripping it open with his teeth and spreading it all over your cunt and his fingers. "take a deep breath (m/n).." he said , sliding his middle finger into you slowly and thrusting it in and out. you threw your head back and gripped the door handle , moaning out your boyfriends name and whimpering. "it's alright baby , i got you." he said , leaning over and giving a tender kiss in which you melted into.

mark inserted a second finger into your sopping cunt , "you're so fucking wet.." he said before dipping down and having a make out session with your clit , running his tongue over it and flicking it with his tongue. "mark im gonna cum.." you said biting your lip and putting your hand in his hair. this only made him suck on your clit harder and faster. you couldn't take the pleasure anymore and came so hard , a clear liquid shot out your pussy and onto mark's face and seats. he slid his two fingers side to side on your cunt as you let loose and immediately went back to eating you out. you were so sensitive and he was so hungry.

mark lifted his head back up and started unbuckling his belt and discarding it , taking the rest of the lube in the packet and spreading it all over his cock. he looked at you like he was a fox and you were the rabbit he couldn't wait to devour , his cheeks were red and he was sweating from his forehead. he slid his cock over your clit and between your folds and gave you a hard kiss , rubbing his tongue against yours and pulling on your bottom lip with his teeth. "mark.." you said , reaching your hand forward and rubbing his cock again your entrance. he smirked and took his cock , slowly sliding it into your entrance. your eyes rolled back but before you could let out a moan he took it out teasingly. you honestly werent having it. "put it in..!" you said , rubbing your clit and looking into his eyes. he laughed and inserted his tip back into your cunt , doing this a couple more times until he snapped his hips against yours and started thrusting into you at a fast pace.

mark replaced your fingers rubbing your clit with his thumb as you moaned his name and let out a whimper each time his hips met yours. the only noises in the car were grunting and the sound of skin slapping against skin. "fuckkk (m/n).." he groaned. he watched as your eyes rolled back into your head and you lifted your hips up so his thrusts were angled directly towards your prostate , your head fell onto the car seat and you gripped his arms. "im gonna fucking cum!" you exclaimed. "fuckin' squirt again for me.." mark commanded , after he said that you immediately squirted all over his dick as he pulled out and rubbed your clit. he then put his cock back into your pussy to help you ride out your high. "s..shit.." he stuttered , pulling his dick out and cumming all over your glistening cunt with his mouth wide open. mark was panting and so you , you were both wet and sweaty making the car smell like sex. he'll definitely need to air out the car and buy air fresheners for future purposes.

mark leaned down and made out with you , tracing the sides of your face with his palm and holding you by your waist. "we need to have car sex more often.." he said smiling. you giggled at his joke and held him close , eventually having to let go. "we should go to our dorm and get new clothes.. they're really wet.." you said. "Lets go." he agreed , giving you one last peck on your cheek before putting his soaked clothes back on just for the ride back.

lets hope nobody questions why he smells like that when he walks through the halls.

c/n: HI IM SO SORRY THIS TOOK LONGER THAN I SAID TO PUT OUT! my job has me busy and im still buying furniture for my home , im going for a modern look so i gotta save up and work hard to get what i want!! i noticed i improved in my writing, especially when writing smut because i used to skip the prep parts and it was so bad 😭 . im a virgin so writing smut is a struggle but im always on tumblr so reading others smut fics and studying up on anatomy and how sex like WORKS was a big help to me. i still suck at dialogue but practice makes almost perfect! i hope you guys enjoy this work more than my others, cuz they really suck lol. 💙

[goldensunset]

@the--plant in response to your tags on my khux post. 'is this game free?' i guess you could say that. it's something even more fun! it's

✨ defunct ✨

yeah uh. the app ended its service back in 2021 shortly after the ending to its story was released. what's left of it is basically a dress-up game and a theater mode (aka you can still create your own character and then watch all the story cutscenes with them in it). but even that recently was taken away from us! a few months ago it was quietly and unceremoniously removed from the app store! a lot of people still have the app (holding on for nostalgia's sake, i guess. nothing is playable and it's not like the cutscene movies aren't on youtube) so as long as we don't delete it we can keep it but like no new downloads... 😔

that said. IF you have an interest in khux. if you would like to jump down into this weird delightful rabbit hole with all us other insane people. we can make that happen! there are two particular options i’d recommend:

firstly! the cutscene ‘movie’ from everglow. yes it is like 5 and a half hours long it’s a whole game story of course. you don’t have to watch it in one sitting or anything lol. this is a pretty cut-and-dry compilation of every story relevant cutscene in the game, in the official order they were released in. (this being kingdom hearts, there’s some in-between stuff where the player goes and visits disney worlds. unfortunately almost none of it has any bearing on the actual plot or characterization in this particular game… so this uploader has opted to cut it out. but it is important to know at least that it all exists.) this vid below is what i would consider the most authentic experience!

option two is the fandub movie! see these mobile games don’t have voice acting, which turns some people off of taking an interest in them. but this here is an incredible fan-made project that took auditions for each character, cast voice actors, collected their dubbed dialogue, and neatly edited and mixed the video all together. it took a ton of time and effort to put together and it came out incredibly well!

that said, i personally wouldn’t recommend it for a first time experience (unless you really, really can’t bear to do a lot of reading without voice acting). see, damo279 did things a little differently. a lot of cutscenes in this story weren’t released in chronological order- which is sometimes narratively appropriate, of course, but in other places it gets confusing. he rearranged some of these scenes to try to make the story a little more coherent. which imo mostly was fine, but it very much does change the audience’s experience (such as with the whole entire strelitzia thing. originally that entire section was a flashback and we didn’t know she existed until she was already long dead). he also kind of like ‘added’ a few scenes of his own with narration by one of the characters to summarize the disney world stuff. mostly at the beginning of the game bc the plot starts slow and then picks up the pace exponentially. but like if you don’t care about authenticity though that’s fine lol

the other thing is that like there is also a fully animated fully voiced movie featuring the foretellers (the masked cult leader furries lol) that exists as supplemental background material. chronologically that stuff all goes first, but it would be a reeeeeally really terrible boring weird introduction to the story imho. it’s better to just come back to that afterwards if you’re curious. and see the fandub project mixes the movie and the game together in chronological order to tell a full story. again- it’s great if you’re an existing rabid fan! i love it! but probably weird if you’re a new fan tbh. unless you’re very open minded and patient. in any case here’s part 1 of it! part 2 should be easy enough to find off of this video

and with that said. if you decide to check khux out PLEASE keep talking to me and asking questions! i know it’s a lot. there are even questions that we existing fans don’t yet have the answers to so like don’t feel bad if you don’t understand something! that’s part of the fun… this series is ongoing… hehe

[barbarakaterina]

CodyWan Wekk Day 7: Modern AU - Academia

Cody loved all aspects of Pride.

Most of his queer brothers tended to show up mostly for the parties, and obviously they all went to the Parade, but he always tried to take in as many of the lectures and panel discussions as possible, too. Not that he objected to a good party, but the educational program tended to be so <i>interesting</i>.

This one was shaping up to be especially so, though in a rather different way than Cody was used to. 

It was a lecture by some big shot academic especially invited for this purpose from London, about LGBTQIA+ in different religious traditions across time. Religion wasn’t normally Cody’s area of interest, but he’d decided to come and listen to this, given how prestigious the guest was.

He was already feeling grateful he had, because even if nothing else came of it, the guy was hot.

He seemed to be in his mid thirties or so, so older than Cody but not so much that it would be a problem, and he had long red hair tied in a bun and beard that made Cody wish he could feel it absolutely everywhere. He was very glad now that he’d picked the first row and would have a completely unobstructed view. Even if the lecture was completely boring, he’d leave happy.

And then the guy started speaking.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” he said in a perfect honeyed voice that had Cody melting. “My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, and I want to thank you for your attendance and the warm welcome,” he nodded to the host. “This is my first time in Prague, actually, but it will definitely not be the last. Now, to start, I should clarify that I will not focus on modern Christianity much. Frankly, there is enough information about that out there, and there are better qualified people to speak on it. So if you came here for Christianity, sorry to say, you would be better served by some other events. Now, let’s get to it…”

Cody was falling in love.

The feeling only intensified as the lecture went on, discussing different examples from across history and showing what the different approaches had in common and how they differed, dazzling Cody with the simple array of options that existed in approaches to gender and sexuality.

When it came to questions, his hand was one of the first ones up.

“Hello, my name is Cody, and my question is, do you believe we can take inspiration from any of these approaches?” He asked Kenobi when his turn came.

Kenobi looked at him, and then his eyes seemed to sort of snag. “Thank you for the lovely question,” he said slowly, still keeping his eyes on Cody, “but sadly, I’m afraid that it would be rather complicated. All of these approaches I described were rooted in wider cultural ideas and social structure that I didn’t get time to get into here, so that without them, they wouldn’t work.”

Cody frowned, not sure exactly what to imagine with such a brief description. “Could you give an example…?”

“I can try a brief one, but if you are interested in this in detail, I can also recommend some books - come speak to me after the lecture.”

Well, that was just the perfect invitation, so of course Cody did. He wasn’t sure he would be actually reading those books, but a chance to speak to Kenobi one on one was too good to pass up on.

He did, indeed, get a list of books, and then Kenobi said: “Actually, I will be starting a new job here in Prague in the autumn, at the Faculty of Arts, so you could always come to some of my lectures that will be dealing with that, too.”

Oh. Oh.

“That is an absolutely irresistible invitation,” Cody said, leaning just a bit closer and carefully observing Kenobi’s reaction.

His eyes went to Cody’s lips. <i>Score.</i>

“...but if I may, I would extend an invitation for something a little bit sooner, and perhaps a little bit more personal…?”

“Why, Cody,” Kenobi replied, “this is what I would call irresistible.”

-

It's Pride this week in Prague and I wanted to honour it somehow. It's nicely symbolic to have CodyWan week at the same time, though it also means I have less time for writing because of all the Pride events. Anyway, today is Parade Day, so have an academic Pride fic that was very vaguely inspired by the lecture about same-sex marriage in Catholic theology I attended yesterday. Happy Pride to any Czechs reading this!

@codywanweek

[wooahaeruby]

Chapter 15: A Night to Remember

Chapter Word Count: 5,296

TW

None

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After your date with Jeonghan two weeks ago, things seemed to settle in between the two of you. He took you on a few more dates; one to another small restaurant in the city, the second he picked you up before work to catch breakfast at a dinner despite the long night he had prior, and the most recent at the penthouse where you sat and watched a movie both of you wished to see. Each little date satisfied the simple need of your expectations of low-key and just spending time together.

You had spent more time at the house too after work, typically Seokmin drove you there after work let out since Mingyu was bored but needed the rest. While a majority of the house most likely knew of your blooming relationship with Jeonghan, no one said anything. Mingyu only asked if the dates were going well, genuinely curious for the tea since he could barely get out of bed without pain. With your time spent with everyone and their resident cook out of commission currently, you did spend a decent amount of time cooking and freezing meals so they wouldn’t live off take out or trash. 

The days you weren’t there, a few were thankful in their texts about the abundance of food and instructions since a lot of them knew the basics of cooking but not enough to sustain healthy habits. You also had Seokmin bring some to the penthouse so anyone staying there during the days had the option of it. It brought a sense of fulfillment to provide for others. 

This weekend though, this weekend was the Gala. 

On Tuesday of that week, Wonwoo sent a message to your computer regarding it, then documentation to give to your bosses that lead to another end of the state for something SVT related. Thursday night you were told to pack a bag to bring to stay the weekend since the Gala was Saturday evening and Jeonghan had plans for you the morning right before. Thinking about it, it made it easier on everyone if you stayed the night with the event being closer to the house then the city. 

Friday night after Seokmin drove the both of you to the house after work, Seungcheol called everyone for dinner which was doubling as a meeting to brief on the events of the next night. 

“Tomorrow I need everyone ready by six, we will be leaving around six-thirty. A few unmarked cars will be coming with our drivers to take us all and they will wait until the event is over or if I order us all to leave. Mingyu will be staying home since it’s still difficult for him to move around. Mouse should be accompanied by someone a majority of the time, however we still need her to wander to hear anything, everyone will keep an eye on her, understand?” He looked between everyone, taking in their reactions. You nodded, quietly nibbling on the fried chicken that was dinner for the night. 

“Do we know who will be in attendance?” Wonwoo questioned but Seungcheol shook his head but looked at Seungkwan. 

The blond perked up and pulled his phone out, tapping a few things as he swallowed his bite of food. “I know Wooyoung’s group will be attending. Chan said Changbin’s guys and Yeonjun’s group will be there from what I’ve heard. I’m not sure about everyone else yet.”

“Then we will have some allies there with us.” Jihoon nodded along, already through his second plate of food. “Are they going to be there?” 

Seungcheol seemed to tense at the question, looking between some of the guys across the table from you, they were just as uncomfortable. 

“Most likely, they have never missed the last two. Psy invites them ,” He said it with disgust and grabbed his beer to down some of it. “We’ll watch out.” 

You raised your hand a bit, confused and frowned. “Uh- Question, seeing as I’m going to be there, who are they and why do we hate them?” 

“It’s…hard to explain, Mouse.” Jeonghan answered beside you, “I would be best just to point out who they are tomorrow so you know who to avoid.” 

Though you wanted to know more, the tension that waved over the table was enough to have the question dying in your throat. 

“Any other questions?” 

A rumble of no followed which you joined in on and continued with eating. 

Jeonghan was vacating his room once again for the weekend so you could sleep with privacy, gathering some of his things to handle the morning outside of his room. You tossed your bag on the floor next to his bed and fell back, tired from the long day at work and even more tired at the anxiety you refused to show due to the Gala. The vague answer regarding who they were was setting you a little on edge and the overall event was giving you anxiety. 

“I have two things planned for you tomorrow.” Jeonghan sat beside you, chuckling at your lazy, spread out position. 

“Are you going to show me the dress?” 

“I could but I still want that to be a surprise for tomorrow. One of our workers will be picking you up around two-thirty, you’ll head to a few places then she will bring you back to help you with your hair and make up, things you might want done, she works as a stylist outside of our other work.” 

“You really are pulling out all the stops, huh? Is it because you like me?” 

Jeonghan chuckled louder now, shaking his head. “This was planned before our dating escapades, however I won’t say I didn’t have a crush prior to making these appointments.” 

“Ha! Dweeb.” 

“Yeah, yeah, don’t be a brat.” He rolled his eyes and you laughed before a yawn was too hard to suppress. “Alright, I’ll take my leave. You know where the bathroom is and I’ll be in Seungkwan’s room next to Chan’s if you need anything.” 

You sat up and waved him off, letting him place a sweet kiss to your cheek, something that started after the second date. He’d send you off with a kiss to the cheek when leaving you and it always made your heart flutter. 

He left with a small goodnight and shut the door firmly behind him.

After a long shower and tucking into bed, reading something on your phone, a knock came. Perking up, you called for whoever it was to enter and Minghao peeked his head in.

“I brought tea.” 

You sat up against the headboard and smiled, motioning for him to come over. Tea sessions with Minghao were becoming an event between the two of you. When Seokmin was too busy, you were always willing to sit in comfortable silence and drink whatever tea he was craving that evening. 

“What do you have today?” 

“Lavender and Rose, it can be calming.” He stepped in, holding a tray of cups and a small kettle, kicking the door closed and settled opposite you on the bed. “I thought it would be beneficial with how nerve-wrecking tomorrow could be for you. It’s a big event for us, but we’ve attended before.” 

“You always manage to read my mind.” You sat up straight now, taking the tea cup when he offered it over. “I feel like Seungcheol hasn’t done enough to prepare me for this.” 

He hummed and sipped his tea, criss-crossing his legs as his eyes closed. “Psy was once one of the biggest crime bosses on the coast before he handed it off to his new leader. He continues to bring in money in other ways and uses it to fund this event once a year. He believes that having a cordial relationship with other groups is important to avoid some sort of war.” 

Drinking down the tea, you let the liquid warm you and soothe the anxious feeling that rested heavy on your heart. “And the allies you have?”

“Three of the main ones are ATZ due to Seungkwan’s friendship with one of them, Chan is friends with members from SKZ and TXT. We are friendly with the majority of the others except…” 

“ Them.” You finished his sentence and he nodded. 

“It isn’t my place to tell much about them. Seungcheol, Jeonghan, and Joshua never explained the full story aside from us no longer being allied with them before we grew into who we are as SVT.” 

“So if I can get information on them, it could be helpful?” 

“I would advise against it. They are unpredictable, scary even for me, Mouse.” 

The idea that Minghao was fearful of them had you swallowing down the tea a little faster. How bad could this group be if he was scared of them?

“I’d take caution tomorrow if any of them approach you. With you being attached to us, they will be eyeing you.” 

“I understand, Minghao.” 

Once the tea was finished and your eyes were slowly shutting long with each time they closed, Minghao bid you a goodnight and he was off. 

Sitting in the back of an SUV with a very stoic but gorgeous woman sitting in the driver seat had you feeling intimidating. 

Joshua and Seokmin had cooked a buffet for breakfast. Joshua’s pancakes were amazing and Seokmin’s fried eggs were to die for, and a calm early afternoon filled with laughter led to where you were now. 

At two-thirty on the dot, the brunette woman, Sona as she introduced herself, knocked and greeted the men with a bow of her head before Jeonghan was ushering you out the door. He has shut the door behind you and she got you into the car and drove to the first location. 

“Let me guess,” You broke the silence, “You can’t tell me either?” 

“ Loki says I shouldn’t, but I’m under Hades' order .” You heard her chuckle, relaxed in her seat, only one hand on the wheel. “He booked you to get your nails done then he needs you to find a pair of heels for tonight. Should take us some time for that then I’m tasked with getting your hair and make up done before helping you get dressed since zipping up a dress might be a pain by yourself, let alone with a guy.”

“ Loki is absurd.” 

“You get used to him, Mouse. ” 

“And I hate that he got Mouse as my nickname.” You groaned out in frustration but she only laughed. 

Getting your nails done was a luxury you didn’t partake in often, the last time was your birthday, but today you might have indulged in pampering on Jeonghan's dime… 

Sona was sitting right beside you, getting her own feet and hands done since there was time and you weren’t going anywhere. She had at least given you a theme for the night, black and white, and you went for something outside of your comfort zone a bit. You settled on a sharper almond shaped acrylic set and a nude color with the same color on your toes to keep it matching. 

Your companion had slid over what she joked as a company card to pay, smirking when you mockingly asked if her set was a company expense as well. 

The next stop at the shoe store was a little intimidating. It was closer to the city and the building was small but stepping inside was overwhelming. Two workers flanked you, greeting you with smiles that didn’t fully reach their eyes but were quick to gather a selection of heels that matched Sona’s need for fancy, black, comfortable and at least four inches high. You questioned why they were high and she said it was to accommodate the length of the dress skirt.

“How do you pick a pair of shoes when you don’t even know the outfit?” You asked Sona who sat on her phone not far from you. 

“You don’t, you just have fun and find what you like.” 

For a good fifteen minutes, you tried on different styles of heels, already knocking off any platforms out of fear for your ankles. Anything with a chunky heel didn’t feel formal enough for you given the type of event. Just for fun, you tried on some black heels with sparkles and laughed along with Sona, saying they were gaudy and not your style.

It was fun, feeling like you were having a small girls day though you didn’t really know Sona. 

“I’m stuck on a few.” You sat down, placing a few pairs before you to take each of them in. 

Sona looked at the selection you set out, pulling a few closer to study them and reached for a pair of stilettos with a rhinestone covered wrap around ankle strap and glittering bow. They would get you an inch or so shorter than Jihoon when he stood tall. 

“These would be the best with it.” 

And you were standing at the counter while Sona used the company card again to pay for the shoes. You felt a little spoiled, the people in this store might even think you were spoiled. A part of you felt undeserving of this. 

Holding the shoe box and sitting in the front seat of the car, you stared out the window on the journey back to the house. You’d have just over an hour to get ready once arriving from what Sona said and she was positive that it’d be plenty of time to get everything done. 

“We’re back.” You called into the house through the front door but you only saw Mingyu laying on the couch with the TV on and voices further into the house. “Why are you out of bed?”

When he looked over, he hugged the pillow he had on his stomach close. “Why are you asking dumb questions?” 

Sona came through the door a bit after you, holding a small hard case. She greeted him with a bow of her head and slid off her shoes at the door. “ Fenris .” 

“Here to help Mouse?” 

“Yes, sir.” She nodded, standing beside you so she could be guided where you were staying. “Do you need anything before we head in?” 

Mingyu shook his head and held a thumbs up. “Nah, if I do, I’ll yell for one of the other guys.”

You eyed Mingyu for a moment but he waved you off and settled back in against the cushions. Quickly you walked through the halls with Sona in tow, seeing Vernon walking out of Chan’s room into Seungkwan’s room, back to you both, dressed in slacks and a black button up from what you could tell. Another door was open and you heard Joshua’s voice but couldn’t make out what he was saying. You opened the door to Jeonghan’s room the slightest bit, seeing the light off before you hurried in with Sona and closed the door. Flicking on the lights, you moved towards the bathroom but backtracked to the open door of the closet where a garment bag hung over the top of the door. 

Scurrying over to the door, you were quick to pull the zipper down, revealing the gown. You let out a small sound of astonishment, running your hand over the soft fabric but Sona clicked her tongue to get your attention. 

“Let’s get you glamoured up before we get you into that.” 

She sat you down in front of the bathroom mirror, dragging the desk chair in to have you sitting and comfortable for the entire styling session. Sona worked in relative calm silence until she got annoyed and put on a quiet playlist to help the creative process. Your eyes were closed a majority of the time unless she asked you to open them but you didn’t want to spoil the surprise of her work. It took her at least half the remaining time until she said you could look so you leaned forward and gazed at yourself in the mirror. 

The makeup applied to your eyes was neutral browns with a shimmer patted on your lip space for an added touch. The eyeliner was knifelike, making your eyes look sharp but still allowing for a softness to show through. The one thing that surprised you was the color of the lipstick; a deep shade of red. With the contouring and highlights done, you looked like a better version of yourself but you didn’t look any different than you normally did which you appreciated more than anything. 

You watched as Sona started to pull more items from the case she brought in, mainly some combs, a brush, some different hairsprays, and a curling wand. She wasted little to no time in parting your hair and explaining how she was going to leave it down but give it some volume and curl it for a classy look. Trusting her expertise, you let her work, loving the feeling of someone just playing with your hair. 

The hair went a lot faster than the makeup and soon she was standing you up and had you strip out of your outside clothes and into the proper undergarments before grabbing the dress. Sona was gentle when maneuvering the gown, laying it flat on the bed and unzipping it, checking for any issues before holding it down for you to step into. 

Sliding it up your body, you were blown away with how well it fit, but it shouldn’t surprise you with all the measurements that were taken all those weeks ago. It was similar to the blue a-line dress you tried on with the cross over semi-sweetheart neckline that hung off your shoulders. The bodice was a crisp white, and the black skirt, fitted to your natural waist, was a lighter fabric that had more flow to it and cascaded gently to the ground. The only main difference outside of the color scheme and slight change in fabric was the sneaky slit that reached mid-thigh. You’d have to have a conversation with Jeonghan about that later…Cheeky bastard. 

Sona zipped you in and made sure it was going to stay up with all measures taken, even added some fashion tape to make sure no issues would occur. She was quick to lay your hair over your shoulders and sit you down to help strap your shoes on, smiling as she did so, clearly enjoying her job. 

“I brought different earring options but I'm going to settle on something small since you have a statement piece for a necklace.” She went to the bathroom and returned with a set of small dangle diamond earrings. You placed them in as she went into the garment bag once more, pulling out the black velvet box that you saw previously when getting your birthday gift from Jeonghan. 

Slowly Sona opened the case and delicately lifted the necklace, undoing the clasp in preparation to place it around your neck. You moved your hair out of the way, shivering at the cold metal of its setting resting against your skin. It was still just as beautiful, not a single sapphire or diamond out of place and it was a gorgeous contrast to the monochrome outfit you wore. Once everything was placed and she fixed any last minute details of your hair, she took your hands to stand you up and moved you towards the bathroom to look in the mirror. 

Taking a deep breath, you turned to take in your form and you gasped, never having seen yourself so…dolled up. Your eyes wracked over your figure and you blinked away any tears that overwhelmed your senses. 

“Wah, Sona, you’ve made me look so pretty.” Your voice broke a bit but you shook it off and stood tall. “I feel like I should be wearing a tiara like a princess.” 

“You look more like a queen but that’s just my opinion.” She gave you a wink in the mirror and started to pack up her supplies, leaving a bottle of makeup remover on the counter. “That will be for later, the lip stain takes a while to even start fading.” 

“Thank you for everything, Sona.” 

“Ah, just enjoy the night and grab a drink with me one of these days when the bosses aren’t stealing you away.” 

Laughing with her, you nodded. “I’ll make it happen sooner or later.” 

Stepping out from the bathroom, you had the overpowering urge to do a spin and you let the feeling take over. Standing in the open space, you twirled and giggled in unadulterated joy as the skirt flared out. You really felt like a princess. 

“Honey?” Seokmin’s voice came from the other side of the door and a small rap against the door was heard. “We are all waiting on you, the cars should be here in a moment.” 

“Uh- Yeah!” You stopped spinning and flattened the skirt, “Give me one moment!” 

“I’m going to wait in the living room with the guys.” Seokmin’s footsteps faded and you grabbed your phone, knowing one of them will have pockets to hold it for you. 

Sona joined you at the door when her hard case was packed and opened the door, nodding her head out. “Go get ‘em.” 

With one last look down at yourself, you straightened your back and stood tall, lifting the side of the skirt without the slit to walk easier and made your way down the hall. The voices of the members grew louder with every step and suddenly you felt self-conscious. A deep breath calmed the shaking of your hands but you puffed out the air as you got closer to the open living room. 

“All I’m saying is if there is alcoh- Whoa…” The first person to notice you was Soonyoung, his eyes opening wide and his mouth hung open as the last word fell flat. 

That cued all thirteen of them to turn their attention to you. You stopped in your tracks, dropping the side of the skirt and holding your hands near your waist, holding your phone tightly in hand. You could almost feel every pair of eyes in the room glance over you from head to toe. 

“Hi.” Was all you managed to say, barely squeaking it out. 

No one spoke still and Sona could be heard stopping behind you. Their eyes shifted from you to the woman hovering over your shoulder and instantly the room uproared with compliments, majority from Mingyu, Seokmin, and Jeonghan, before Joshua scoffed and stepped forward, holding out a hand for you to take. 

“You look beautiful, Mouse.” He said, smiling bright when you placed your hand in his and guided you further into the room. “But you are always beautiful.” 

You laughed softly and let him lead you, letting the gentle touch calm the racing of your nervous heart. “You look very handsome, Joshua.” 

Looking down at Joshua’s outfit, it was a simple suit with a white button up and black tie but the piece that stood out was the thick belt-line cincher that hugged his waist. His hair was styled and gelled back some save for a few strands that were at the sides of his forehead. It wasn’t too flashy but was enough to stand out. 

“The dress turned out amazing, Mouse.” Jeonghan was beside you in an instant, taking your phone to easily store it in his pocket and grasping your hand delicately, placing a gentle kiss to the back of your hand. Your gaze got caught on the mesh shirt that was hidden behind the double-breasted suit jacket.  His hair was pulled back into a small, low ponytail but his bangs covered his forehead, feathering out neatly. 

“Mhmm. The added feature must have been a great idea.” You rolled your eyes, moving your leg aside to show the sneaky slit that hid behind the fabric. 

A whistle was heard and Seokmin was eyeing you up and down, hands sliding in his dress pants pockets. “Never thought I could fall in love more, Honey.” You weren’t surprised to find he didn’t wear a shirt under his  single-breasted suit jacket and the silver necklace he wore accentuated his neck and collarbone well. Similar to Joshua, his hair was styled back from his forehead with pieces feathering the sides of his forehead. 

“Alright, alright, enough- I can’t let my ego get any bigger than it already is.” You took your hands back and held them to your chest. 

“SVT.” Seungcheol got their attention at his spot near the front door, a single hand slid into his trouser pants while the other was ready to open the door.“Figure out who is going in what car and get to it.” 

He looked regal, very much a leader at this moment. He wore a classical fitted suit with a single set of buttons, the straight collar of his white dress shirt was clean and folded over neatly, a thin black tie knotted in what you could tell was a simple half-windsor knot. A handful of different length thin chains rested atop the tie but below the blazer with a locket no smaller than a quarter against the center of his chest. His hair was slicked back on one side while the other was gelled into style but not enough that it was stiff when he moved his head. 

Aside from the three surrounding you, the others filed out but you didn’t hesitate to take in each of the members' outfits. 

The one that stood out the most was Junhui, wearing an outfit made entirely of white from dress shirt to shoes. He stood out yet he looked ethereal with his hair parted to cover most of his forehead and the slight red tint to his lips that was most definitely some lip stain or gloss. Walking out after him was Jihoon and Soonyoung, the former didn’t stand out too much in the black pinstripe suit but the material hugged his waist and arms well. Soonyoung looked refined in all black with a low-hanging cravat tied over the center of his chest with the suit jacket unbuttoned. 

Chan’s outfit seemed fitting, pretty but seeming a little rough based on the personality he put on outside of the house. He wore a black shirt beneath a shiny, also black satin button up and an open blazer. The lapels were of similar satin fabric as the undershirt but it was darker. Two chains rest around his neck, one long while the other thinner and short. 

Both Seungkwan and Vernon went for simple, fully black looks. Vernon sported a thin tie similar to Seungcheol’s, the fabric shiny against the matte color of his dress shirt. His hair was combed back out of his face but gel did nothing for the stray strands he most likely knocked out of place from fidgeting with it. Seungkwan went for a black sheer shirt under his suit jacket, a bit more opaque than Joenghan’s over all. His hair was freshly bleached and parted in a seventy-thirty style with hair spray to keep it from getting in his eyes. 

“Ya, don’t just stand there.” Minghao called out, nudging Seokmin who huffed. “Let her have some breathing room, simps.”  

Easily you stepped away from the other three and fixed one of the lapels of Minghao’s suit, flattening it down with one hand. The jacket was fitted well around his thin waist with a belt and the tattered pieces of white cloth that were strategically placed about added a flare of drama, something you knew Minghao was known for. “Yeah, what he said.” You shot a playful glare at Jeonghan, Joshua, and Seokmin. 

“Do I not get a goodbye?!” Mingyu dramatically sighed from his place on the couch, pouting like a child because he couldn’t attend the event with everyone. 

“I was getting there.” You took quick steps towards the giant, squishing his cheeks in his hands, loving how his face brightened up. “You better call us if anything happens, okay?” 

“Yeah, yeah, mom . I’m going to move into bed once everyone is gone.” He reached out and gave you a gentle hug which you returned. “Have a goodnight, Mouse.” 

Jeonghan offered you his arm when you moved away from Mingyu, gladly resting your hand on the crook of his arm and followed him out towards the SUVs that waited out front. In small groups, the guys were filing into cars with Seokmin jogging off to join Minghao and Junhui. The last person you expected to see dressed up was Wonwoo near the car in the back. For someone known for oversized shirts and baggy pants, the deep neckline of the shirt had you double-taking. He had done without a blazer and you were surprised at how small his waist was thanks to the belt looped into his pants.

In your distracted stage, Jeonghan had opened the door to the car in front, tapping your hand to get your attention. He had you slide in the middle of the backseat while he and Joshua sat on either side of you. Seungcheol took the front seat, grumbling something to the driver about how this was going to be a long night. With one wave of his hand after checking if each cars’ doors were shut, your caravan began their journey. 

Jeonghan took your hand in both of his own hands and drummed his fingers against your skin, a habit he started when he wasn’t holding anything. You didn’t know if it was out of nerves or simply wanting to have contact with you but you never stopped it even if his hands were freezing. 

“Mouse, I’m going to go over a few things for you.” Seungcheol turned in his seat to better see you and you met his eyes to signify you were listening. “As I said last night, someone will always have an eye on you or be with you, however if they aren’t and you need out of a situation, we are going to have you introduced to some of the groups we are allied with. I’ve asked them to lend a hand since we have an agreement to share anything we learn tonight. You’ll be able to know who is in a group or not.” 

“And the group that you want me to avoid?” 

Seungcheol’s jaw tensed but his expression barely changed. “I’ll point them out to you. I don’t want you anywhere near them, do you understand?” 

“I understand.” The drumming to your hand stopped but Jeonghan didn’t let go. 

“Do not accept offers of any drinks or food unless you are getting it yourself or one of us gets it for you.” That was something you already were thinking to yourself. “If Psy approaches you and asks who you are, just tell him that you are a part of SVT and your name is Mouse.” 

The idea alone that a big crime boss approaching you had a shiver run down your spine. “Should I worry about him?” 

Joshua couldn’t hold back a chuckle and shook his head. “The most he will do is ask you outside of that is to dance, then talk about his wife. Psy is relatively harmless unless you get on his bad side.” 

“Yeah, don’t plan to do that.” You have a smile but it was evident you were tense. 

“I’m not asking you to do much, Mouse. Just walk around, listen in, and if you want, enjoy the night.” Seungcheol’s tone lightened. “Even the smallest smidge of information can be useful but I’m not asking you to push it.” 

“I’m more nervous that I'll trip on my own foot and fall on my face.” The bluntness in the statement even had the driver chuckling under his breath. 

Tag List is Open! Comment on the BSH Master List to get added!

Tag List:

@unlikelysublimekryptonite @iiaweirdo @aurorajoye @gaslysainz

[decks-writing-blog]

I Think I'm Sick Chapter 2/2 Our Best Option

Chapter One

~

Back in the game room the TV was still on. The commercials were at least over, not that the cartoon playing instead held much more interest. But Benrey was too in and out of sleep to play much more than the simplest game and the PS3 controllers needed charging anyway so cartoons it was for a little while.

Instead of lying back down with the heated blanket as he’d been before, he sat with Gordon. At first just leaning into him but that wasn’t enough and he shifted to sit in his lap instead, slouched enough that his head rested against Gordon’s chest. The sound of his breath and heartbeat was soothing. Not that Benrey needed help drifting off again. He was just so tired all the time. It wasn’t fair. Sleep was nice sometimes but it was boring to do so much. And if he was going to die for good soon, he didn’t want to spend most of his limited time sleeping.

Before he could finish drifting off even despite his annoyance with doing so, his phone chimed in his pocket. With great effort, he forced open his eyes and reached to pull it out. It felt almost like he was moving through deep water, making it more difficult than it needed to be but he managed.

It was worth it too because the text was from Bubby. ‘I know what’s wrong with you. Maybe. I have a theory. We’re coming over.’ Not an opening to a fun conversation as Benrey had hoped but maybe something better.

“Who is it?” Gordon asked.

His head too foggy to try to summarize, Benrey held up the phone where Gordon could read it.

“Oh, already? I guess that’s not too surprising coming from him. You wanna head out to the living room to meet them or you wanna stay here and wait?”

“Wait.” They had keys and thus could let themselves in. Just sitting and waiting sucked but he didn’t want to get up yet, he was comfy.

~

With how close everyone lived, the wait was only a few minutes. Long enough that Benrey fell asleep again despite his best efforts not to but not deep enough to not be roused by Coomer’s, “Hello Gordon!”

“Yes, hello Dr. Coomer and Bubby and Tommy.” Gordon spoke not much louder than a whisper. “Benrey’s asleep so…”

“Wake him up then,” Bubby interrupted. “I gotta ask him something.”

Before Gordon could try to argue, Benrey shifted and sat up a little more, forcing open his eyes as he did so. He could get off Gordon’s lap too but didn’t particularly care to. “I’m awake.”

Bubby had stepped up to stand directly in front of them, Coomer and Tommy a bit too his side. The TV was still on behind him but Gordon picked up the remote off the couch’s armrest and muted it.

“Good,” Bubby said with a slight nod. “On the phone, Gordon said something about you saying all your powers are fucked up. Is that true?”

Damn. Turns out Benrey had to talk about it anyway. “I think so. Um, I can’t phase through stuff and my sweet voice isn’t very sweet anymore and uh… other stuff. Nothing works like its supposed to. So yeah, probably all my powers are fucked.”

“You can’t heal either?” Tommy asked. “Like if you get cut or shot or something.”

“Uh… dunno. We could test it.”

“Let’s not,” Gordon interrupted before Benrey could ask if anyone had a knife to test it with. “If you can’t heal from whatever’s making you sick, it’s probably safe to assume you can’t heal from physical injuries either.” A good point.

“And on top of all that you’re extremely low on energy, right? You’ve been sleeping more and more every day for like the past week.” Bubby’s tone was the one he used when he was being smart, implying he was onto something with whatever his theory was. What it could possibly be was a mystery. Benrey was sick, they already knew that. All that Bubby had learned was that it was also affecting his powers.

“Yeah. It sucks. I’m tired of sleeping but uh… too tired not to.” Exhaustion dragged at him like a lead weight trying to pull him underwater.

“Ah,” Coomer said apparently getting whatever Bubby had figured out. “It’s not dissimilar to when my power cells run out; I get tired and none of my implants work the way they’re supposed to. So I believe I know what you’re getting at, Bubby. I’ll let you say it of course since you did figure it out first.”

“You’re sick because you’ve been away from Xen stuff too long.”

“What that does that…” Gordon started before trailing off as something seemed to click with him too. “I guess that is possible, huh? How did I not think of that before?”

“You were uh… probably being too anxious to think clearly,” Tommy answered. “I know I can’t think straight when I’m uh… anxious about stuff too. Being worried make its hard to figure things out.”

“I don’t get it.” Maybe if Benrey weren’t so tired and distracted by the deep ache of something being wrong with his entire form, he could figure out why exactly not having been to Xen in so long was making him like this. He’d only been there once.

“You’re literally made from Xen stuff,” Gordon explained. “And you spent your whole life in a lab with multiple portals to Xen and people going through them all the time. Then when you actually went there yourself, you got a big boost in power or whatever that was.”

“Something in the air there is what fuels you,” Coomer cut in. “You’re like a battery and can store it but you’re running out now. Hence your current state.”

“Huh? I’m a battery.” Benrey had never thought of it like that but it made sense. He could store power in things which implied he stored power in himself. “That’s kinda cool.”

“Probably you’ll die if this continues for much longer,” Bubby said. “So we need to figure out a way to open a portal to Xen sooner rather than later. Anyone got any ideas?”

The silence held, heavy and uncomfortable, for several seconds before Gordon broke it. “The uh… the thing. The way we got there before. It’s dismantled currently so the construction workers rebuilding the broken parts of the old facility won’t see it. But it was never broken and we got all the parts in boxes at the temporary lab with all the other sensitive stuff.”

“It’s big though. Where you gonna build it?” Benrey had been to the temporary lab a few times now. It was far too small for a machine that size.

“Uh… well the only place we’ll be allowed to put it back up is the old facility. And that’s probably also the safest place for it to keep it from people and in case something comes out of it. The old facility’s not done being fixed yet but… I could maybe convince Breen to okay putting it back up anyway. It’d be hard though with the construction workers there.”

“Regardless of where we do it, rebuilding it is going to take weeks at a minimum,” Coomer said. “Probably more like months. It took weeks to pull down after all, putting it back up will take at least as long if we’re being optimistic. Do we have weeks or months?” He addressed this to Benrey.

“I uh… dunno. I started feeling bad a few weeks ago but it started affecting my powers or whatever like a week ago so… it got bad kinda fast. It gets worse every day like um… noticeably.” Heck, it felt worse now than when he’d woken up. It hurt more but even with that, he could easily fall back asleep right now if he let himself. How much longer before he couldn’t even hold his shape anymore? Then from there how much longer before he fell asleep and never woke up?

“Yeah,” Gordon said. “He uh… deteriorated rather quickly. I’m pretty sure he spent more time asleep today than awake. So even just a couple more weeks would be… a rough wait.”

Benrey was going to die, wasn’t he? Not just a maybe he’d realized a little while ago after hearing Gordon voice the possibility, but almost for sure. He didn’t want to die for good in general but especially not like this; wasting away, asleep for more of his dwindling life than not.

Gordon was likely having the same, if not similar, thought process as his grip on Benrey tightened. Pulling him closer as he curled slightly around him. “There’s… there’s gotta be something we can do, right? Maybe make a small one somehow? I mean we can’t just…” He trailed off.

Tommy raised a hand as he stepped forward. “I can… I can open a portal to Xen.”

Oh! How could Benrey have forgotten about his buddy, Tommy? Granted he hadn’t known Tommy could open a portal to Xen but it made sense that he could because he was Tommy. Everything would be fine… hopefully.

Gordon relaxed too, letting out a relieved almost chuckle. “Oh of course. I forgot your dad is some kind of… whatever he is.” He shifted his hold on Benrey, getting ready to stand up with him. “That’s great though. Awesome. Do it now. The sooner, the better, right?”

“Um… I should mention that it’s uh… kinda dangerous. I’m not as skilled as my dad is at that kind of stuff. Particularity the being sneaky part. There are things out there that could uh… they could notice me opening the portal and um… that would be bad. Like real, real bad.”

“End of the world kind of bad?” Bubby asked.

“Yes.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. We should maybe ask Dad instead.”

“How likely is he to say ‘yes’?” Gordon asked. According to what Benrey had heard of the guy, it was unlikely.

“He… he might. But if he does he wouldn’t do it for nothing, even for me. He rarely does things to be nice because he’s not nice. Another option though is I could put Benrey in stasis while we work on building the thing. Human made portals to Xen are also a risk but much lower. The uh… problem with that one is I’m not… I’m not sure that he wouldn’t continue to drain power even in stasis. Dad’s time freeze didn’t work on him so… I don’t know if his current state would change that or not. And uh, I’m also not as good at that as he is too. He has a lot more experience with this kind of stuff than me.

“You’re a baby time god,” Benrey said.

“Um… ‘god’ isn’t the right word. You need worshipers to be a god, I think. Compared to Dad, ‘baby’ probably is a good word though. I’m only thirty-eight and he’s like… I don’t, several hundred years at least. I’ll try a portal or stasis for you though. I just wanted to go over all our options because it’s important to weigh the risks.”

Benrey wasn’t surprised. Of course Tommy would employ his powers for him even with the risks, they were pals after all. But it still felt nice to hear him say it.

“So,” Coomer said as he lifted a hand to count on his fingers, “our options are ask Tommy’s Dad and ensure safe passage to and from Xen but we owe him a favor. Tommy opens a portal to Xen and we risk the end of the world. Or Tommy puts Benrey in stasis and we build a portal ourselves but we risk the stasis not being as complete as we hope.”

“No particularly good options,” Bubby said with a frown as he crossed his arms. “What do you think, Benrey? It’s your life at stake.”

“Uh… I don’t wanna go in stasis.” Based off of what Benrey knew of how such things were portrayed in science fiction, stasis was too close to death to be a comfortable idea. And he’d just developed a fear of death less than an hour ago. It was way too soon to confront it. He’d like his powers back so that fear could go away already.

“No stasis then,” Gordon said with a comforting finality. “How bad would owing your dad a favor be, Tommy?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t talk to me much about the people who owe him stuff. I just know he has people who do.”

Apparently having reached a decision, Gordon stood, bringing Benrey with him. Unfortunately he didn’t keep holding but instead, carefully put him back on the couch. At the end of it so he could face everyone but he still would’ve preferred Gordon keep holding him. But whatever, it was a bit awkward to have a group conversation while cuddling anyway.

Straightening, Gordon stepped back to address the group. “I’ll do it. It’s our best option. Benrey doesn’t want to go into stasis and if you opening it risks getting noticed by potentially world ending entities, we probably shouldn’t if we don’t have to. So… owing Tommy’s dad a favor it is. I can handle that.”

Despite all the unknowns of it, he was volunteering. No hesitation either. And it was for Benrey.

“We’ll do it, dumbass,” Bubby said. “Or did you forget he has more people who care about him than just you?”

“The Science Team can stand up to anything Mr. Coolatta tasks us with,” Coomer added. “You’ll be right as rain in no time, Benrey.”

Tommy perked up. “Yeah, don’t fuck with the Science Team. We can handle anything even… even my dad. I’ll go talk to him then. Be right back.” He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Benrey should say something, shouldn’t he? What though? He was so tired and the whiplash of learning to fear permanent death to all of them proudly stating they’d be willing to be indebted to a time god for him was a lot. More than he know how to deal with. It made his eyes water. Which made no sense. Crying was supposed to be for bad emotions, this wasn’t. He didn’t know what it was exactly but it certainly wasn’t bad. Being so sick was putting him in weird emotional head space.

Gordon turned to him, opening his mouth as if he say something but whatever it was died unspoken. Instead he stepped closer, leaning in for a whisper. “You okay? Or I guess… dumb question but uh…”

“I’m uh… okay as I can be. Thanks for… just thanks.” The second part he said loud enough for Bubby and Coomer to hear too. He’d thank Tommy too later. “Now uh… come back. I wanna cuddle. And I’m sick and dying so you gotta do as I say.”

“Yeah, sure.” Gordon chuckled softly as he picked Benrey back up so he could turn and sit back on the couch with Benrey on his lap again. He kissed Benrey on the forehead as he settled against his chest again.

“You two and your damn PDA,” Bubby complained even as he sat next to them.

“This isn’t public,” Coomer corrected, sitting on his other side. “And even if it was, they get a special pass because Benrey’s is indeed sick and dying.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m just annoyed about having to wait for Tommy’s dad.”

Having to do more waiting to find out what was going to happen next did suck. But Benrey’s last nap had been interrupted by everyone’s arrival. He’d feel a bit better if he returned to it. “Wake me when uh… Tommy’s gets back, kay? So I know… what’s gonna happen and stuff.” What they were going to do if Tommy’s dad declined to help or if what he wanted in exchange was something they couldn’t give, they’d figure out when they got there.

“Okay.” Gordon gave him another kiss on the forehead as he drifted off.

~

It wasn’t Gordon or any of the others that woke Benrey though but instead something he couldn’t possibly name. Whatever it was made Gordon flinch.

With effort, Benrey opened his eyes and sat up to see Tommy’s dad standing in front of the couch now. Tommy stood slightly behind and to his side. The TV was on but frozen. Tommy’s dad was doing his weird time stop powers again. Whether he was trying to freeze Benrey too or was letting him go this time was unclear. It did feel different than before though or maybe that was Benrey’s imagination.

“Does this mean you’re going to help us?” Coomer asked as he and Bubby stood from the couch.

Mr. Coolatta let out a heavy sigh. “Yes, I suppose it does. Having you… four, I suppose, since you’ve seemingly tamed the beast, in my debt isn’t something to scoff at after all.”

“He’s not a beast and we didn’t tame him,” Gordon said as he pulled Benrey closer. Standing up for him like that wasn’t necessary, Benrey didn’t care about being referred to as a beast, but it was nice that he’d done so anyway. He cared enough about Benrey as a person to talk back to a time god.

“If you say so, Dr. Freeman. Now let’s…”

Bubby interrupted. “And what the fuck are you gonna have us do for you in return?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I’ll get back to you on that when I call in the favor. Now, as I was saying, let’s get to fixing this little… problem, shall we?”

The world shifted around their group. Benrey was suddenly standing next to Gordon instead of curled up in his lap. Rude, he’d been enjoying cuddling. They were in a blank void but only for a moment as everything shifted again and the sky was suddenly a familiar purple and blue. The ground beneath Benrey’s bare feet felt felt soft and spongy.

Instantly he felt better. One breath was all it took for him to go from barely awake to feeling normal. The next had him energized. From there it grew more and more until he his whole form was tingling with it. It was too small and restrictive to hold all of it. He held it in though, savoring it.

“You feel better?” Gordon asked as they all turned to look at him, even Mr. Coolatta.

Yes! He felt so much better in fact that words didn’t feel like they could possibly convey it. Instead, he laughed as he turned and sprinted off the edge of the floating island they’d landed on.

He let himself fall, the boundless sky blurring all around him as he plummeted past floating rocks and there was even what looked like another small island. The rush of air was exhilarating as it made his baggy clothing flap around him like a flag in the wind. Taking a deep breath, he let out a string of sweet voice, all the colours, adding to the swirl of visuals around him.

The first time he was here, he’d discovered Xen gave him new powers as well as improved all his other ones. Namely he could make his clothes change shape with him and he could fly, sort of, standing on air didn’t really count but it was close. It allowed him to freely expand his form, slowly at first but then rather quickly until his was big enough that all the power flowing through him didn’t feel like it was about to make him explode anymore. He then reluctantly slowed and stopped his fall before righting himself to a standing position.

Stepping up was a bit of a pain but he had big legs now so he could go quite far up with just one big step up. And thus in only a matter of seconds he was on level with the floating island he’d started from. Gordon had gone to the edge of it to look down. Reaching to touch him, maybe even pick him up, was tempting but… humans were fragile. It’d be way to easy to accidentally hurt him. Instead Benrey settled for just coming in close, staying low so he wasn’t towering over everyone too much. A little bit of towering was cool though, right?

“Asshole,” Bubby said. “You almost gave Gordon a heart attack. Fucking idiot, running off a cliff.”

Oops. Benrey hadn’t thought about how it would’ve looked to them, especially given how long he’d let himself fall for. “Sorry.”

Gordon pulled back from the edge – good, him being that close probably wasn’t wise lest the edge decide to crumble away – and sat down so he could lean back on his hand and look up at Benrey. “It’s… okay. I take it that uh… you feel better?”

“Yeah. I feel great.” Being in Xen came with a odd feeling as if he and the air around him were constantly vibrating slightly. It hadn’t been pleasant last time in how quickly it had grown to be too much. But after so long being endlessly exhausted and hurting, how energizing it was, was amazing.

“Congratulations on not dying, Benrey!” Coomer said.

“We’ll have to make coming here a regular thing now, right?” Tommy said. “Probably we wanna… you know, build a teleporter for next time because my dad might not want to do this again. We have time though.”

“About a year,” Coomer cut in. “Based off how long it took Benrey to power down this time. My batteries last about a year too.”

“Are you done yet?”

Benrey looked up to see Mr. Coolatta still standing exactly where he’d come in at, his hands folded behind his back. “Or would you like to… ‘hang out’ as the kids say?” he continued.

“Hang out a bit.” Benrey was still enjoying the feeling for now. “To make sure that uh… I don’t feel like that again anytime soon.” Spending more time here might mean he retained more energy upon returning.

“I’ll be back in two hours. Be ready to go by then.” Mr. Coolatta vanished.

“Guess were here for two hours then,” Gordon said. “As long as Benrey’s okay that’s fine. Even if this place is uh…” He trailed off. His face was too small to get a good look at but he sounded like he was grimacing.

Right, yeah. Last time he’d been here, he’d been scared of Benrey and scared and stressed in general. A lot had changed between them and Benrey had learned more about how far was too far. But that wouldn’t necessarily make this a comfortable place for him.

Benrey shrunk himself. Not a lot, only so that he wasn’t towering quite so much. He leaned it, resting one arm on the floating island and laying his head down on top of it so that he was looking mostly at Gordon but the rest of them too. His other hand he moved towards Gordon.

“Can I uh… can I…” How did he ask? Should he even? He wanted to touch and hold and make it better but he was so much bigger now. That made him scary, right? Was Gordon scared of him?

Gordon stared at him in silence for a few seconds, visibly tense before relaxing with a sigh. “Sure. Go for it.” He didn’t even know exactly what Benrey was asking. Having so much trust was… scary. Benrey didn’t deserve it. Things were different now but he’d still hurt Gordon once upon a time. He knew better now and Gordon had hurt him back, ultimately winning their fight, but… still.

Questioning good things wouldn’t do much though so he moved his hand closer. Gordon probably would’ve been about as tall as the tip of his pinky to the base of his palm if he were were standing up, maybe a bit shorter. He was sitting though and thus Benrey’s hand engulfed him rather well as he cupped it around him. He was tense but didn’t struggle so before Benrey could chicken out and careful not to grab, he scooped Gordon up into it.

“Okay,” Gordon said as he wrapped his arms around Benrey’s finger. “This is fine.”

Benrey pulled him closer to his face, careful not to jostle him too much. It was tempting to straighten and bring him up too but he wasn’t going to do that yet. Maybe in a bit when he was more sure he could do so gently. “You’re so little.”

Gordon’s face was harder to read when he was so small but that earned a small smile. “Nah, you just got big, dude. Which is pretty cool actually.”

“You’re not scared?”

He thought about it for a few seconds before replying. “No, I don’t think I am actually. When you ran off the edge I was but… that’s not what you’re asking about. Things were different last time we were here. But we’re cool now.”

“More than cool.” Things were great, especially now that Benrey wasn’t dying anymore.

“Yeah, they’re pretty great actually. I’m glad you’re okay. But since we’re here anyway and you’re already holding me, um… maybe lift me a bit higher so I can see more stuff.”

As gently and carefully as he could, Benrey obeyed. Straightening, he lifted Gordon as smoothly as he could before raising him a bit higher to give him a good view of the alien landscape surrounding them.

“Wow uh… this sure is something.” He sounded nervous.

“I won’t drop you.”

“I know.” More of that trust, voiced now. Still not entirely deserved but that was okay. He’d somehow earned Gordon’s trust anyway and he wasn’t going to squander it.

“There are so many inappropriate jokes I could make about this,” Bubby said. “But I won’t because I’m a good guy like that.”

Benrey looked down at him. “Want me to pick you up too?”

Tommy raised his hand. “Ooh, ooh, pick me up!”

Coomer raised his hand next. “Me too!”

Finally Bubby had time to reply. “Eh, I guess if everyone else is doing it, sure. Just make sure you don’t drop me over the edge.”

Taking inspiration from Gordon’s extra robot arm, Benrey grew two more arms out of his shoulders so he could pick all three of them up. One in each hand and one at a time, careful as he possibly could be. They weren’t as fragile as Gordon but still, they were so small they felt fragile.

Once he had all of them in his hands, he pulled them close to his body where they felt steadier. “Let’s go for a little walk then, huh? This place’s got lots of cool stuff too look at that we didn’t get to explore last time.”

A fun little adventure with his friends in Xen certainly beat sleeping on and off until he died for good. He probably wasn’t ever going to forget the fear he’d gained of permanent death though. It was too upsetting of an idea. … It was also a fear Gordon still faced though, had never not faced. Maybe Benrey would try to see if he couldn’t do something about it.

~

[A/N] The request I was talking about at the top of this fic was for them going to Xen. Which I already had this idea for so it fit perfectly. I held off on doing the idea for a bit since it's further in the future than anything else which probably contributed at least a little bit to how long it ended up being; I had a lot of time to build the idea.

[vro0m]

Brocedes hasnt been brocedes all year. Its just a lot more ovi now. We got a certified nico lewis situation at merc. Toto picking the wrong guy once again. Whats new?

Okay first of all I wanna say this can't be a Nico - Lewis situation. There will never be a Nico - Lewis situation again. But I guess what you mean is there's an open, direct rivalry at Merc again. Which. Yeah sure. That's usually what happens. I'm not surprised it's happening, we mentioned it before.

(long post)

I'm not sure what you mean by 'Toto picking the wrong guy once again'. If you mean in the context of hiring George, I disagree because George is a very good driver. If you mean in the race, I highly doubt Toto is the one making the strategy calls in the middle of things. At the very most, the strategists tell him the options and he might green-light one of them.

They've been having strategy issues for a while now. That's also something we've talked about before. If anything, I'd say the issue lies with the strategy team rather than Toto or George. We've said the bad calls were hidden by the good car performance before but also I do think it's gotten worse. Back when it was announced that Vowles was leaving, I said not directly replacing him was bullshit. They claimed the rest of the department would just divide Vowles' workload between themselves. Toto said they'd been doing it already during the '22 season (when did the strategy issues ramp up? idk). What I said at the time was "someone is going to have to make the final decision on strategy" and "otherwise it's not gonna work". It might just not be working.

One thing I'll give credit to George for is that he's trying things. Hasn't there been a convo in the last few weeks with people (including me iirc) saying Merc is too conservative with the strategy? That they need to stop acting like they're at the front, defending rather than behind, chasing? Also isn't it kinda boring when the team doesn't give the car that's qualified behind a chance and only uses it to support the other? (Also with his quali performances lately, wouldn't that do more harm to Lewis than George?) I guess it's just the way being a fan goes, but I feel like every race weekend I see fans of either driver defending what or complaining about what they were complaining about or defending the previous race, depending on who they're rooting for the most. It's okay when it's their blorbo only (which again : just being a fan).

Anyway props to George for being a driver, and asking for more. That's his job. Sometimes it annoys me ngl. Sometimes I feel like he's acting too entitled during the races. But as I also said before, it's not particularly unexpected from a young driver. Lewis was really not that different in his days lol. They all have a chip on their shoulder and they are all essentially starving egotistical cunts. The older ones might just have learnt to hide it slightly better through the years. Slightly. Is Lewis being more of a team player? On track, probably so, props to him for that. Don't know how long it's gonna last in these conditions though, given that he's also a starving egotistical cunt. Off track, he's complaining very loudly and unsubtly about not being prioritised by the team in a not-so-great way imo. I'm repeating myself yet again but it's not as easy as just saying here's what needs fixing with the car, then claiming they're not listening to him when it doesn't suddenly work. Merc is truly fumbling with the development, and patience is not Lewis' greatest virtue lol. He's clearly getting frustrated with the performance, understandably so. I'm simultaneously pretty sure that's true for the whole team, not just him. So him saying they're not doing their best and voluntarily just not doing what he wants is probably not helping.

I do think that the team is gonna have to find a way to make it work between them two on track before they take each other out or straight up disobey team orders out of hunger or frustration. But well. Do I have to link the essay again? (Sorry for bringing it up 10 times a week.) It's not that easy managing intra-team rivalries and I see some people claiming they should pick a n°1 driver but how? Right now, Lewis and George are on par in quali (8-8). George has less points for sure but you also gotta take into account that he's had four terrible races in the year, not always by his fault (although sometimes yes). Outside of these four races, their results are very similar. This is not a Max-Perez type of gap by far. Lewis is most probably not gonna stay for 10 more years despite what he sometimes likes to pretend, George might. I'm still rooting for Lewis first and everybody else second but if you look at this realistically, it's not as simple as saying to George "look we're betting on you for the future, someday, but until Lewis retires you'll always be a second thought to us. But you know, still stay with us and take it lying down. Toodles!" He's completely right about it, but it's easier for Lewis to say "we're fighting for the team not for driver points" when he's the one ahead in the standings. Because what? You always always have to do better than your teammate. (Again, sorry for bringing it up constantly.)

In some way the issue with both of them is impatience. Lewis is impatient to have a good car again and he's starting to somewhat take it out on the team which isn't ideal. For all they looove saying we win and we lose together, that's not a supportive behavior claiming publicly they're just not listening to him. George is impatient to get track position and to beat his team-mate and he's rushing the racing too much, making rookie mistakes in the process (see Singapore) and demanding sometimes more than his due during races.

So yeah I think they need to rein them both in — one off track, one on track — but also without rejecting all new ideas and all questioning, both when it comes to the car and when it comes to the race strategy. It's not gonna be easy, but it's definitely gonna be very interesting.

[useless19]

I was kinda hoping for a junior birthday edition of days, i loved junior in this series? I thought you were hinting twards it to. Did you have ideas or was it just a way to reasure bowser that luigi would be back?

So was I! I made a space for it in my drafts doc and everything, but I couldn't figure out enough of a plot to hang it together. It might've been because by that point I was starting to wind down my writing in Days with an aim to finish the series off, or it could have been because it would've required a fairly heavy narrative switch and I was already struggling with Bowser's pov for Day 16.

Or it could've been that I didn't want to have to figure out what a spoilt 8-year-old Koopa prince's birthday presents were going to be!

It's Junior's birthday, so it's going to be the most coolest awesomest day of the entire year! -the planned summary

Like King Boo, I left myself the option of writing Junior's birthday just in case. I've honestly found this to be pretty useful for constructing the series as a whole. Things happen that the narrative doesn't show (Luigi thinks about taking Junior Lava Bubble fishing one time, but we never see that), and allowing myself the freedom of not having to write it meant that I managed to finish more other parts than I ever thought I would when starting.

Still, I know roughly where the characters are at on Day 51 (aka Junior's birthday), so let's have a look at them, shall we?

Luigi extends his visit so he leaves the day after Junior's birthday. It's much easier for him to agree to stay longer than it is for him to commit to a longer stay before he arrives. He gets comfortable where he is. He spent the previous day making sure Junior knew he was going to leave after his birthday so that he wouldn't have to keep reminding Junior on his birthday and bring the mood down. Luigi likes a good party and he doesn't have to be the centre of attention, so he has a great time.

Bowser likes a party even more than Luigi and his son is growing up so well. He's way more tolerant of destructive antics than most parents too (he's got minions to deal with mess and rebuilding). He also starts to realise some of Luigi's problems when it comes to visiting; ie that he's very suggestible. It's not an entirely conscious observation, but he's less worried when Luigi leaves and spends more than a week away, despite saying that he was only going for a week. There's always going to be some lag. Email updates help (even if the first one is from a long-suffering Mario).

(If anyone other than me did the maths and figured out that Luigi wouldn't actually be at Bowser's castle for Day 69, assuming a consistent week-in-the-Mushroom-Kingdom/week-in-Bowser's-castle, this is why. It's always a bit more than a week-long visit).

And, of course, Junior. He's more resilient than Bowser in the being abandoned department, though he's still a bratty kid who's used to having his own way. He's very determined to show Luigi every single last one of his presents so Luigi will know what he's missing out on if he goes ahead with his stupid leaving plan. Similarly, the Koopalings also get the full range, but they have to leave in dribs and drabs over the next week too.

I guess part of why I couldn't figure out a plot was because Junior is going to be getting more and more intense and overexcited as his birthday party goes on and that would narrow the focus too much to be interesting.

(Maybe the lesson here is that putting it in Junior's pov was a bad call and I should've been trying to see Luigi's thoughts on the whole thing).

I don't know what Luigi would get Junior. He'd probably play it safe and do some art supplies (which are fine, but nothing super exciting and he gets a bit miffed when Junior moves on fairly quickly). He also delivers a letter from Peach (which Junior initially dismisses as boring), with an invitation to a brand new tournament she's organising (I'd have just picked a random sport that's not a main Mario tie-in game, or maybe one of the less represented sports like one of the Olympic ones). Luigi can't remember speaking with her about that, but he must've said enough for her to do this. Junior's quite excited over this - it's his own invitation, not just his dad's!

I also imagine that Mario sends something, maybe food? Possibly a bunch of hot sauce bottles from the various places he's helped out (they won't stop sending them and, while he likes spicy food, he can't eat this much!)? He puts the same amount of effort into it as he would a nephew. Luigi's also surprised at this and has to deal with the (actually super obvious in hindsight) realisation that he's sort of on his way to becoming Junior's step-dad, not just a regular old babysitter.

(Yeah, this would've been a challenge to properly depict in Junior's pov. Possibly an interesting one though.)

It was definitely set up more as potential day for writing, but it was useful to help reassure Bowser once I'd added it.

[rainy-painter]

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Extended Character Sheet (Gen 9)

Pokémon Fans of Tumblr: After a joke gone awry I have spent more than five hours working on extending the PMD roster to be up to current date with Pokémon (gen 9). And to not feel like my time has totally been wasted on a nerdy thing, I present to you my results.

(Keep in mind this is not official at all and just my personal pickings.)

I will put thoughts and other boring stuff under the cut, should you be interested to read about all the thoughts and decisions I made.

We good? Okay, you asked for it! So;

As mentioned before this all started with a Pokémon Mystery Dungeon joke with pointing out a few innocent behaviors and going: "You seem to be the-"

And then it hit me- The nature-to-pokemon roster of PMD hasn't really been updated since Explorers of Sky, which only went up to generation four.

And from there it went down hill:

"Wait! The list doesn't even include all available natures!"

"Okay, so there are 25 natures in all, but the number of starter pokemon alone are 29 so... I guess I'll make up some natures?"

"I need enough natures to also include some classic Pokémon protagonist options such as Pikachu... And oh no, just HOW many options were there from Gen 1?"

"-And there are barely any extra options from the other generations?"

"WHAT THE [Redacted] HAPPENED TO THE ROSTER IN GATES OF INFINITY?!"

For this project I had to lay down a few rules:

The list had to include all starter Pokémon.

Include at least two additional Pokémon from each generation.

Try to balance out Pokemon Types as much as possible, as well as making them decent starter pokemon.

No gender exclusive Pokémon.

Trans males are male and trans females are female.

Added Non-binary option for the quiz.

Extra added things to note:

The list is mostly based off the one from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky.

Missing Natures from the original list are grayed out for convenience.

New natures, added out of necessity, has its own list.

I also have a list of honorable mentions and cut Pokémon.

Note: Pokemon greyed out on the list above is to indicate generation changes.

My thoughts on the cut pokemon:

Obviously there are way too many Pokémon from gen 1 for them all to make it to the list. Pokémon such as Cubone and Phanpy could have made the list more diverse, adding the ground type to the options. Togepi and Sneasel were chosen over Phanpy for their less common Typings. However after cutting Cubone and adding Ralts to the roster it could be argued Phanpy should have been added back instead of Togepi.

What am I? The Officer Jenny? If you feel Phanpy or, hack, any other pokemon fit the roster more than my pickings, feel free to edit or make your own roster! :) /Genuine /Positive

I really like Vulpix, however there were already a lot of fire types. The reason why Charcadet is on the list is because I felt like I didn't have enough options from Gen 9 that I felt would fit as a main character, be strong enough or not too strong for the theorized adventure.

Most Nominee were chosen for being decent base form Pokémon and being dexterous enough for a human turned Pokémon to not feel completely claustrophobic in their body: I figured a bipedal or quadrupedal Pokémon would feel more natural than pokemon like Bronzor or Ekans.

(Looks at Snom) I said most nominees. Snom was chosen for their special typing and cute appearance. However stats and weakness wise I found it hard to defend it.

For my final thoughts on this list:

I doubt by far I'm the first to make an extended list for the PMD franchise, but I haven't seen many lists on this website and I did the work anyway, so why not post it?

You are more than welcome to comment on it or make your own! ^^ I welcome creativity and I would be more than excited to see the thoughts other people would put into a list like this!

A lot of thought has been put into the list, especially nature to Pokémon wise. If it wasn't on the official PMDE list, the Pokémon placements have a 80% chance to have a sort of reference from the anime or in game ability, or just how I could see them. (As well as other obscure trivia. Like how Chikorita is on the Lonely category for being perhaps the least picked starter Pokémon.)

And hey- If you feel like your Pokémon self isn't on the list, then that's completely fine! ^^ The list is more of a guideline than actual rules- Hack it's meant only for fun! And I'm glad you know what Pokémon you'd be!

I didn't include Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Keep Going! Blazing Adventure Squad, Let's Go! Stormy Adventure Squad and Go For It! Light Adventure Squad in my research because it wasn't released outside of Japan (To my knowledge.) It also featured a very specific art style, so I considered them kind of their own spinoff franchise at that point.

No, I'm not going to make a quiz to fit the extended list. c': Anyone wanting to make a quiz based off this list is more than welcome though!

I am currently making lists for specific pronouns such as Necrom (With Ghost/Dark/Poison type or death themed Pokémon) and Fae (Fairy/Normal/Psychic type or fairy themed Pokémon). Unlike the Gender themes these will contain pokémon outside of the normal roster. So in a way I kind of walked back on the "no gender exclusive" rule, but hey it's all in good fun!

I'd love it if you guys have any other pronouns you'd like me to work on! ^^

I also worked on an "it" pronoun with genderless Pokémon, however even when the list included Steel/Rock/Ground types and object Pokémon I had a hard time making it work. I'm open to any suggestions on how to expand the list and still keep it in theme. c':

And lastly: No, I never did get back to my friend about what nature xey'd be. c':

[alitgblog]

volume V thoughts bc once again fusebox has got me intrigued

first of all omg wtf

I usually end up reading a few spoilers before I play bc I'm bored at work but don't wanna play the volume until I get back but I had such a busy day at work I didn't do that and wow ok I gotta avoid spoilers more often I was shook

so excess baggage was okay. like yeah makes sense we want the couples to be tense again before voting the couple superlatives thing, but also such a throwaway. (and also I talked about this in my post about last volume, but we have so many challenges in a row!! why)

since my MC did initially flirt with Oakley a lot more than Jin, I do think it's funny Oakley talks about how cool MC's secret is (like it's annoying fs but also something I've seen happen on love island to create small drama but then ultimately it's just talk so it's nice to have that happen here).

Also i was worried Oakley was gonna turn on us or flirt with us and abandon Emel, so I'm very glad he was just asking for advice. (I'm a big Oakley and Emel fan, what can I say?) I'd be okay if that led into a different storyline where you could pursue Oakley later, but with how fusebox has been making the seasons lately, once you pick you've made your choice and I do miss in for example s2 where even if you don't pick Lurik when they first become available you have a chance the next recoupling and it feels like it changes your route.

Jack is still mad at MC??

Couples game was fun. I wish fusebox formatted it so you discuss with your partner and then make a choice before everyone revealed their answers instead of people talking and explaining before the player picks their answer. Like we know the characters already, just let me pick and we can see who agrees.

Oakley's evening wear outfit 😍 best dressed boy fs

I of course could never bear to see Oakley and Emel go, but I surprisingly actually missed Sophie and Jack as soon as they left but like in a me missing Allegra and Miles/Jasper when they left. Like yeah they were irritating but they brought drama and I understand where Allegra/Sophie is coming from (and I support women's wrongs lol)

Jin going through his main character of S6 arc??? No but fr I can't imagine why the public would vote him out so he's either hiding something that's gonna come out when he gets back or he was voted most popular and is gonna come back soon. I hope it's not casa because (1) that already happened in s6 and (2) I want the chance to flirt around with new characters in casa lol. I've seen a few theories around and I have no idea which is true but if I could throw in another idea which is post casa, MC is finally with a bombshell, Claudia/Theo, or a casa boy and things seem good but Jin and Luna show up together as returning islanders and MC has to choose between Jin and her current LI.

It's so interesting for drama, like ik I'm here for it. But a lot of people like loyal routes so I hope yall are doing okay

I was like half hoping we could walk out with him even though of course fusebox isn't giving us that option but like I wish he said something like hey you just got here, enjoy your time at the Villa and I'll wait out there for you no matter what happens. just to explain why MC wouldn't leave. that being said, their goodbye was so sweet.

One thing that's different in the game than the show is the number of islanders present at once, which makes sense its hard to keep track of all of them (though they've done it before in s2), and it just is weird bc now the people in the Villa are MC (single), Claudia and Theo (who don't like each other), and Emel and Oakley (only one couple).

despite my complaint about the challenge thing this is great pacing/timing for a new islander. it's just a shame the screwed over Tyler coming in so soon after MC. I can't remember if I already wrote this in my last post but I almost wish he came in with MC and got a better chance.

[romancomicsblog]

Who should play Mr. Fantastic in the MCU?

With the upcoming MCU Fantastic Four movie set for 2025, as soon as the writer's strike comes to an end, we will likely get our cast for the film dropped. Before that time comes, I thought I would give me two cents for who should play each role, starting with our leading man.

Perhaps the most over fan casted character in the past year, Reed Richards is a particularly hard nail to hit on the head. While the characteristics are simple enough, smartest man in world, leader of the fantastic, emotionally distant, maybe a bit awkward, borderline mad scientist, all of those traits can easily be attributed to a number of different actors.

Depending on how you want to play it, there has been a number of fantastic (pun intended) options thrown around the rumor mill: Penn Badgley, John Krasinski returning, Glenn Howerton, William Jackson Harper, Adam Driver, Matt Smith, and oh so many more.

While I like a lot of these and really wouldn't be upset with most of them, I thought I'd throw my three ideas in the ring.

I will also say, my initial pick was William Jackson Harper, but twitter and one of my favorite Fan Casters Nando V Movies (go check out their YouTube channel) already casted him. But if he got it, I would be very pleased.

Finally, I'll preface, I am going for originality. There have been SO many picks for Mr. Fantastic. I tried so desperately hard to pick actors I haven't heard brought up who can do an amazing job.

First, as always, let's look back and three renditions we got:

Ioan Gruffudd

I don't have strong feelings about this particular version of the character. He hit the notes he needed to but there really wasn't alot for him or Jessica Alba to do in the film.

Gruffudd did a solid job at playing the straight man, letting Evans and Chiklis play off of him fairly well.

He was also fairly good at playing a realistic nerd. He didn't feel like someone who was on the football team, which other Fantastics lacked. We need someone who can feel believably awkward. More Maguire less Garfield.

Miles Teller

*sigh* Fan4stic is definitely a movie.

Miles Teller and the cast do what they can with what they were given, but there isn't much for me to dissect here. Teller does a good job with the awkward nerdiness, but he lacks the believable confidence to be a leader. Fantastic should be confident in his intelligence, Teller wasn't there yet.

We need someone who can believably be a leader.

John Krasinski

I think for what he is given, Krasinski does a solid job at a particular kind of Mr. Fantastic. That is to say, he is a Mr. Fantastic who has done his three movies and has learned the importance of family and connecting with people and taking care of others.

That being said, as a flawed Fantastic, he's boring. Yes he is strong, confident, and feels like a leader, but that's all I'll give him.

So clearly, we don't have a lot to work with as far as definitive versions of the character goes.

What ethnicity is Mr. Fantastic?

Mr. Fantastic does not have a particular ethnic identity in the comics. There is one piece of comic lure that I think is interesting when discussing Mr. Fantastic, particularly in the MCU.

You see one of Reed Richards descendants is Nathaniel Richards, a time travelling super-genius from the 31st century, wo becomes a supervillain warlord known as..

Kang the Conqueror.

While his lineage is sometimes questionable, I think this wrinkle puts a potential for people of color playing this role.

However, Kang could be mixed, and with the fact Mr. Fantastic isn't really any particular ethnicity, I think casting anyone is okay.

Other Stipulations

Mr. Fantastic may be one of the major leads of the MCU moving forward. We are casting the main enemy of Galactus, Doctor Doom, and maybe even Kang. We are looking for a Downey or Evans, someone great.

As the leader of the Fantastic Four, we need someone who can believably be the smartest person in the room. With his powers, his intelligence, and his borderline madness when it comes to science, Mr. Fantastic should feel like a threat to someone like Doom.

I'm looking for someone in their mid 30s to mid 40s. He needs to feel older than Johnny but young enough to keep this going for awhile.

We need someone confident who could lead the team but can be a little awkward to be around. Almost Batman like.

I'd like taller and lanky as far as look goes, and if they can grow a nice beard that's a plus. Any ethnicity is good.

As always, I'm looking for someone who hasn't played a major superhero role.

Let's get into it:

3. Dev Patel

Kicking off our list with the safest choice, Dev Patel is one of those actors you're surprised isn't already a superhero. From roles in the Green Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, and Modern Love, Patel is a fan favorite actor with range to compete with the big names. At 33, He is the youngest person on my list and most qualified for the job.

He has played intelligent in roles like in Chappie, has done dangerous in the Green Knight, and villains in roles like Zuko (sorry I had to bring up The Last Airbender).

My worry with Patel is he may be a little too likeable. I want a character we can warm up to, which is hard balance. He also seems like an actor who could potentially be great as a different character. Maybe even Doctor Doom.

I definitely think he has the chops and the potential to be a great lead, not just for the Fantastic Four but the MCU.

2. Zachary Quinto

When casting in Sci-Fi, it's always good to cast someone who has pull in nerd circles.

Known for roles in Star Trek, Heroes, American Horror Story and Invincible, Zachary Quinto is always a treat to watch.

He was originally my top choice to play Doctor Strange in the MCU, but I think for those same reasons, he could do an excellent Mr. Fantastic.

Zachary Quinto is great at playing characters just a little off from human. Spock is a great example of this, but I'd look closer at Robot from Invincible. He displays real emotion through a robotic voice throughout the show, and quickly became my favorite character. I think bringing a little humanity to Reed can help us follow and grow with him as the movies progress.

Quinto also has a solid background in playing villains. He has voiced Lex Luthor, and even played a superpowered serial killer, Sylar, in the hit NBC series Heroes. I think having someone who can play a villain be beneficial to Reed, as he often feels closer to a villain than a hero.

My biggest concern with Quinto is age. At 46, he feels a bit older than I would prefer. Not that that should be a problem, but a younger Reed we can see grow into Mr. Fantastic is preferred.

Quinto also isn't typically a leading man. I'm not sure if I can see him leading the MCU in the same way I see Patel.

I think it would be a curveball pick that fans could get behind and end up loving.

1. Jerrod Carmichael

If I had a nickel for every time I casted a comedian known for stand-up over acting as my leading man, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

Jerrod Carmichael is one of my favorite comedians and writers working today. Known for his stand-up specials, the Carmichael show, and smaller roles in The Disaster Artist, Mid90s, and Transformers the Last Knight, Carmichael really came on my radar as an actor and a writer in his amazing movie On the Count of Three.

Also Directed by Carmichael, the film centers around two friends who decide they want to kill themselves after one last day of righting wrongs and tying up loose ends. It's an incredibly bleak, well acted, and at times funny movie, full of sadness and pain.

In the film Carmichael taps into a sadness and alienation I think would be perfect for Reed. In the film, he feels dangerous and alone.

We also known Jerrod can do comedy and likeable, which could eventually translate to a more balanced Reed Richards.

He also has a talent for writing. His stand-up special Rothaniel won him an Emmy in 2022. Imagine what he could do with Fantastic Four Screenplay.

Carmichael will also be starring in Poor Things, a new movie starring Emma Stone which appears to be getting buzz. Clearly he is expanding his acting portfolio, and the MCU is a great place to start.

I think if you want a surprise pick who can act, direct, do comedy, and write, Carmichael feels like the choice that would get people talking. I think he is the type of artist who should be leading big things like the MCU, and would look damn good wearing the 4 on his chest.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me you can find all my socials here!

[aancunin]

Tav's shoulders raised as a single chuckle escaped him, "No. I don't know if it's a cultural thing for tieflings or if it's just the ones that come here."

His eyes flicked to Astarion's and stuck there for a moment. Were red eyes common amongst elves? Tav didn't know the answer to that question, most elves had either brilliant blue or green eyes that seemingly everyone complimented, or the underappreciated brown or hazel. Perhaps it was just the candlelight making him mistake brown for red.

Red was his favorite color, after all, so he made sure to tuck the possibility into the back of his mind for later.

After what was definitely long enough to constitute as staring, Tav looked back at the already clean glass in his hands. He decided to opt for another glass that was also already clean, but doing so might make his working performance more convincing, he thought.

As he did so, Astarion's words caught him off guard, causing him to knit his brows for a moment. He quickly assumed a more neutral expression, though his tail betrayed his facade and continued to flick with irritation.

He would be the first to admit that he wasn't the best conversationalist, hells, he wasn't even a good one, even when he tried his best... but being called out on this wasn't what he expected when he left for work this evening.

"It's hard to compete with the Elfsong," he stated plainly, "If you want somewhere classy, you go to the Elfsong, if you want somewhere that's... well, the opposite, you go to the Blushing Mermaid. I suppose we are... the middle option, if you want neither, or both," he shrugged, "But most people don't like doing things halfway."

♥️ Tavernacle

"Ah yes, but if I went to either of those I wouldn't be spending my time here with you, now wouldn't I?" he smiles rather sweetly, his eyes half lidded as the words melt from his mouth. Perhaps he was teasing the Tiefling, he didn't really care if it bothered him or not. But the spawn found it intriguing that despite everything, even the emptiness of the inn, the Tief continued to do his duty. No one was watching him and he doubted that any other staff were even present. Hells, perhaps he was his own boss, but that probably was thinking too far into such a mundane situation. The other was alone for the night, alone with Astarion, he probably could have wanted better company than a prying vampire spawn. But at some point in time, loneliness does welcome strange company if you're bored enough.

"Besides, it's not all bad, I do quite like this. At the Elfsong it's overpriced for wine that tastes like shit- and the blushing mermaid well, if you like vomit on your pants and some drunk hanging on to your every word and body. Well, that's a place to go now, isn't it? No, this place is nice, quiet, rather comfortable change of pace. I almost am surprised no one comes here, and the wine..." he picks up his glass, swirling the liquid around. "Well, it's not the worst thing that anyone has ever served me, but it is good considering how much you charge for it." he takes a long dragged out sip, savoring the drink as it coats his tongue. "Drink with me Tavernacle, I'm sure you can afford a night of leisure for once. Especially with how rather dull it's been."

[todayimgonnaplay]

Today I'm Gonna Play: It Takes Two

I've heard a lot of praise for this game although it took me quite a while to get to it as I mostly play single player games, until a friend was willing to play it alongside with me. The game only requires one person to own it, so a friend can play it with the free friend pass!

I've played a few co-op games that were nice to pick up and play during a nice night: Valheim, Overcooked, Operation Tango, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds/PUBG, Monster Hunter Rise, and so on. Although I don't tend to stick with multiplayer games for long as they tend to rely on certain mechanics as the core part of the gameplay which feels repetitive to me, whereas I love me a story focused game which is often single player. Never did I think that a co-op focused game could do exactly that!

I went into the game completely blind expecting it to be cutesy and chill but got whimsical, creative, and a little dark instead. Having to play as a couple in the process of divorce while tying in the theme of connection by working together seemed like it would be another cliché gimmick, and it can be. But the game gets you invested in its gameplay. Each and every segment is unique and not repetitive, putting you in various unique segments with a theme, like having to use a nail and hammer to platform your ways through, or using space boots to walk around any non-aligned surface while another person grows and shrinks while bringing in all kinds of game genres, from RPGs to shooters to hack and slash. They're so random and yet they make so much sense in the game. Not a single moment felt boring in that sense.

The game's difficulty is also very decent for the most part (as someone that plays easy mode) making it suitable for just about anyone to play the game alongside. There may be a few frustrating moments but only a handful. So it's a great option for those who prefer less stressful games. There is a lot of co-ordination and learning patterns required, but nothing brain wracking.

I was also not expecting it but the game's art direction and general graphical quality was highly impressive. It felt great to just look around and admire the environment as we waddled through the levels or cutscenes. The music and voicing also fits in great alongside these segments.

One of my favourite aspects of the game are the amount of minigames and interactables present in the game. They're optional, but highly rewarding for people who like to explore, allowing you to get a chance to have a breather or get some competitive spirit going. They weren't needed in the game, but they're great and highly appreciated touches.

Overall, It Takes Two really takes co-op games to another level that I'd love to see in other co-op games (if similar ones don't exist already). I'd definitely consider this to be one of my favourite co-op games, if not my top.

[reijis-sunshine]

FORT THOU ASK GAME.

band aid - kojiro!

thoughts - reiji 😏

microphone - kaoru

phone - your mains! you could either choose one or do them all 👀

dance - waltz (Yes i chose him bc of his name)

romance - diluc

crystal ball - ichiro

bed - gojo!

sick - nanami

song - ren

feather - samatoki lol

smile - kazuma!

Ah Yes, Everyone, let's get started then!!

Band-aid: what's one thing I want people to understand about Kojiro? That he's a massive teddy bear and amazing pillow. Relaxed muscle is incredibly nice and squishy and have you seen the man's beef? Perfect nap partner

Thoughts: what do I think Reiji thinks of me when I'm not around. Well, maybe that I have a really pretty smile, or that I'm an extremely skilled musician. Maybe he thinks about the time I slid on a rug, ate floor, and could barely move my knee for the next two days. Uncertain, there are lots of options heheh

Microphone: does Kaoru sing or play music? Yes, he sings, mostly just if music is already playing, his voice is really nice! I love listening to him sing, could put me to sleep in seconds

Phone: I'm gonna pick just one f/o for this one, Reiji and I do in fact have cell phones, my contact name for him is just "Darling<3", and his contact name for me is "Sunshine". There's a reason my blog name is what it is :D

Dance: Can Waltz or I dance? 1. I'm not surprised you did the name match there it's very funny 2. yes, we both can! We don't dance often but it's a convenient way to get out of talking to people at parties on the rare occasion we deign to attend one

Romance: what's the most romantic thing Diluc has ever done for me? And the most romantic thing I've done for him? Well, for the most romantic thing he's done for me, is proposing too cheesy of an answer. Probably but I don't care. The most romantic thing I've done for him though... maybe the multiple songs I've written for him

Crystal ball: Is Ichiro superstitious? Does he believe in the paranormal? If so, what kind of stuff do they believe in? Yes, Ichiro believes in ghosts, surprisingly no he is not scared of them. Ichiro believes in ghosts like you believe in your annoying housemate that steals your food and you can never seem to catch outside of their room. It's very entertaining

Bed: Where does Satoru like to sleep? Is he conventional with a good schedule, or does he find damp corners to call his bed? Oh God, please never try to get this man to sleep outside of his own bed. He's somehow even worse than me about not being able to sleep anywhere other than his bed, which is singularly impressive. And his sleep schedule is, effectively, from whenever he gets into the bed to whenever I wake him up, which typically settles out to 10:00 pm-6:30 am...

Sick: Kento is sick in bed, what do I do? I'm an expert at buying and making comfort food, and also taking care of sick people. Leave it to me, he'll be better by the end of the week unless it's something serious

Song: what's a song Ren knows by heart and a song I know by heart? Ren knows Fly Me to the Moon in Japanese flawlessly and enjoys singing it to me to fluster me. I on the other hand know Valentine by Laufey to get back at him. Nice even trade-off

Feather: if Samatoki and I were animals, what animals would we be and why? I would totally be a cat! I tend to be very reserved at first and then when you get to know me I'm one of the most affectionate and loving people you'll meet. Samatoki though would be a chihuahua. Rude, bites people, terrible and deserved reputation

Smile: what about Kazuma makes me smile every single time? And what's something I do that makes him smile every time? This is such a small thing, but his entire face scrunches just a bit when he's thinking about something, and it's absolutely adorable. Something I do that makes him smile every time though, is tapping out drum beats on my thighs when I get bored or just need something to do with my hands

[automatismoateo]

Does anyone else find the idea of an eternal afterlife horrifying? via /r/atheism

Does anyone else find the idea of an eternal afterlife horrifying? I wonder if i am alone in feeling this way. Most people seem scared of death and would like to live forever. This is one of the main things that seems to draw people to religion/god that it offers an eternal life. I've even seen some people say they would rather get eternal punishment than cease to exist (which seems really fucked up to me but i guess this is my point. people are so scared of death and no longer existing they would prefer eternal punishment to that) I am pretty sure a lot of atheists would like to live forever and maybe some even wish it was true but they just can't believe it. The thing is i REALLY don't want any sort of eternal life. Not the ''reward'' where you apparently have to spend eternity worshipp9ng god or whatever you are supposed to be doing for eternity. Eternity is a really long time people don't seem to understand what it would be like they talk about it like it can be compared to 1000 years, 1,000,000 years and so on. it can't. Its like after trillions of years it would still be day one or something. I've been alive for 38 years and when i think back to the 1990s and 2000s it feels like a long time to me. But 38 years is really like seconds if you're comparing to eternity. Now some people say maybe you will just be really happy all the time or whatever. I am not really sure how that works when you know people are suffering in ''hell''at the same time. I also can't imagine anything i would be happy doing for eternity. I mean when i listen to music or do anything i like i get bored after a few hours. I just don't find this eternal life thing appealing. I find it horrifying and i wonder if anyone else feels the same? i know people are scared of death and yes it is the unknown and eternal nothing is kind of scary but this is how it was before we were born. I feel like people have this idea they are special and deserve to life forever but we didn't have eternal life in the opposite direction. People seem to forget we already didn't exist for an eternity before we did Yes dying and the unknown is scary. Maybe if i could pick an afterlife i might even want one of it was for a few 100 years or until i decide to end it. The whole heaven/hell as the only options is horrifying. Its kind of outrageous that people are ok with these options (and claim its a choice when it really isn't) even if they are scared of death. I don't find an eternity worshipping some god appealing even if the alternative is bad as well. I'm happy to just die and its the end of this. I never asked to be here in the first place. Submitted January 18, 2024 at 11:00AM by pinkpanthercub (From Reddit https://ift.tt/yQn3I1A)